Background: Atrial fibrillation is present in 24% of the population over 60 and it increases the risk of stroke by 2,4% 3%/year. Antithrombotic treatment is considered as the treatment of choice for cardioembolic stroke prevention in this patients. As far as we know there are not relevant data about the influence of these treatments on the type of stroke that may develop in these patients.
Aim: Analyze whether there are differences in the clinical profile and functional prognosis after stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation depending on the type of treatment they were on at the time of occurrence of the event.
Patients and methods: We identified 67 patients who were admitted consecutively to our stroke unit with a stroke and atrial fibrillation over a period of 2 years. Patients were classified according to the type of antithrombotic treatment they were on. Functional prognosis was estimated by Rankin score at discharge.
Results: Treated patient showed a non significant tendency to suffer less severe strokes and present a better functional situation at discharge than those who were not on prophylactic treatment. Treated patients had a significant higher prevalence of previous TIA (44,2% vs 9,1%; p= 0,0042) and HBP (81,4% vs 52%; p= 0,041) than non treated patients. Embolic strokes were more frequent in non treated patients.
Conclusion: Antithrombotic treatment not only prevents strokes but may also contribute to the development of less severe strokes with a better functional prognosis in patients with AF and does not contribute to increase complications in these group of patients.