Warfarin is associated with better 6-month outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation complicating an acute coronary syndrome, but its use is not related to Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age>75 years, Diabetes, Prior Stroke/transient ischemic attack (CHADS2) score or bleeding risk.
Abstract
Background
We examined warfarin use at discharge (according to Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age > 75 years, Diabetes, Prior Stroke/transient ischemic attack score and bleeding risk) and its association with 6-month death or myocardial infarction in patients with post-acute coronary syndrome atrial fibrillation.
Methods
Of the 23,208 patients enrolled in the Platelet IIb/IIIa in Unstable Angina: Receptor Suppression Using Integrilin Therapy, Platelet IIb/IIIa Antagonist for the Reduction of Acute Coronary Syndrome Events in a Global Organization Network A, and Superior Yield of the New Strategy of Enoxaparin, Revascularization and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors trials, 4.0% (917 patients) had atrial fibrillation as an in-hospital complication and were discharged alive. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to assess 6-month outcomes after discharge.
Results
Overall, 13.5% of patients with an acute coronary syndrome complicated by atrial fibrillation received warfarin at discharge. Warfarin use among patients with atrial fibrillation had no relation with estimated stroke risk; similar rates were observed across Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age > 75 years, Diabetes, Prior Stroke/transient ischemic attack (CHADS2) scores (0, 13%; 1, 14%; ≥ 2, 13%) and across different bleeding risk categories (low risk, 11.9%; intermediate risk, 13.3%; high risk, 11.1%). Among patients with in-hospital atrial fibrillation, warfarin use at discharge was independently associated with a lower risk of death or myocardial infarction within 6 months of discharge (hazard ratio 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.98).
Conclusion
Warfarin is associated with better 6-month outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation complicating an acute coronary syndrome, but its use is not related to CHADS2 score or bleeding risk.
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— Renato D. Lopes, MD, PhD, Aijing Starr, Carl F. Pieper, DPH, Sana M. Al-Khatib, MD, MHS, L. Kristin Newby, MD, MHS, Rajendra H. Mehta, MD, MS, Frans Van de Werf, MD, PhD, Kenneth W. Mahaffey, MD, Paul W. Armstrong, MD, Robert A. Harrington, MD, Harvey D. White, DSc, Lars Wallentin, MD, Christopher B. Granger, MD
This article originally appeared in the February 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
