Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation Patients: Risk Stratification, Treatment, and Follow-Up in the Emergency Department
Emergency physicians, hospitalists, and other clinicians face the everyday challenge of providing individualized, safe, and effective care for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). A greater understanding of this disorder is critical to maximizing patient outcomes. Important areas of knowledge to update include:
• Most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines to identify stroke risk and appropriate prophylaxis regimens for AF patients
• Benefit versus risk profiles of current oral anticoagulant therapies in order to individualize treatment regimens for AF patients
• Current and emerging reversal agents for oral anticoagulants
• Implementation of practice protocols for follow-up care and education to optimally manage stroke prevention in AF patients
with access to up-to-date information, specialists will be better able to care for these individuals and successfully address the challenges encountered in daily clinical practice.
Learning Objectives
Upon completing this activity, the learner will be able to:
- Identify a patient’s stroke risk and the appropriate treatment regimen for stroke prevention in AF patients based on the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS updated evidence-based guidelines
- Optimize stroke prevention treatment in AF patients based on the safety and efficacy of novel oral anticoagulant therapies, and on individual patient profiles
- Recognize the need for emerging reversal agents specific to novel oral anticoagulants in the ED
- Develop and APPLY follow-up care protocols for AF patients prescribed novel oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in the ED
Available Credit
- 1.50 JA Credit - AH