The novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are Xarelto, Eliquis, Pradaxa and Savaysa. And some patients are afraid of them. But the stats show that in many cases, the NOACs are better for afib patients than the old standby, warfarin. In a recently released landmark study published online first in December by the medical journal Lancet, the four major studies were compiled into one – a process called meta-analysis. The study found in the more than 70,000 patients who were studied collectively, […]

If you’ve got a-fib you’ve probably wondered just how serious the condition has to be before there’s a danger that blood clots will form and stroke will become an issue. This isn’t an exact science, but there are certainly some contributing factors that let doctors ascertain the risks. How long does atrial fibrillation have to last to cause a blood clot that can result in a stroke? The best answer is we don’t fully know. What we do know is […]

One of the concerns that people often have about the blood thinner Warfarin is whether or not it will become a problem for patients with kidney disease. However, a recent study indicates that Warfarin does not, in fact, worsen outcomes for these patients. In fact, it looks like patients with kidney disease actually do a little better on Warfarin. About 52 percent of patients had moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) or worse. The researchers found that warfarin treatment was associated […]

If you’re on Warfarin you may be interested in this story. A recent study has shown that at-home coagulation testing helps patients get better outcomes on Warfarin than more traditional testing methods. One of the biggest issues with Warfarin is the need to keep INR levels within optimal levels at all times. For most people this means multiple trips to the doctor or hospital so the patient can undergo testing. The test results aren’t instant, so clinicians typically have to […]