Oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

In the absence of contraindications, patients with atrial fibrillation and at least one major risk factor for stroke should receive long-term oral anticoagulant treatment to prevent atrial thrombus formation. Because age of more than 75 years is a major risk factor for stroke, but is also a risk factor for major bleeding, the decision to treat elderly patients with anticoagulants should be made on an individual basis.