Challenges in atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an extremely prevalent dynamic chronic disease often associated with underlying heart disease, making the management of AF challenging. The antithrombotic management - and in particular the use of antiplatelet agents herein - is challenging as it depends on the (adequate) assessment of the risk of stroke and major bleeding. We therefore focus on the current (recommended) use of antiplatelet agents, address the caveats, and provide clinical tools to assess risk of stroke and major bleeding. Furthermore, we discuss novel antithrombotic agents to provide a future perspective of the role of antiplatelet agents in the antithrombotic management of AF patients.