Novel Antithrombotic Therapies for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
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REPORTS Novel Antithrombotic Therapies for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Martin O’Donnell, MB; and Jeffrey I. Weitz, MD Abstract incidence of AF in men ranges from 0.2% per Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of year for men 30 to 39 years of age to 2.3% arrhythmia in adults, is a major risk factor for stroke. per year for men between the ages of 80 and The prevalence of AF increases with age, occurring 89 years.8,9 In women, the age-adjusted inci- in 1% of persons <60 years of age and in almost 10% dence is half that in men.7 of those >80 years of age. Recent studies show that A predisposing condition is found in 90% treatment strategies that combine control of ventricu- 10,11 lar rate with antithrombotic therapy are as effective of patients with AF. These include car- as strategies aimed at restoring sinus rhythm. Current diac and noncardiac causes. The most com- antithrombotic therapy regimens in patients with AF mon cardiac conditions associated with AF involve chronic anticoagulation with dose-adjusted are hypertension, rheumatic mitral valve vitamin K antagonists unless patients have a con- disease, coronary artery disease, and con- traindication to these agents or are at low risk for gestive heart failure (CHF).12 Noncardiac stroke. Patients with AF at low risk for stroke may causes include hyperthyroidism, hypoxic benefit from aspirin. Although vitamin K antagonists pulmonary conditions, surgery, and alcohol are effective, their use is problematic, highlighting intoxication.12 The 10% of patients without a the need for new antithrombotic strategies. predisposing cause are said to have lone AF. This article will (a) provide an overview of the Patients with AF may present with symp- clinical trials that form the basis for current antithrombotic guidelines in patients with AF, (b) toms ranging from palpitations associated highlight the limitations of current antithrombotic with a feeling of malaise to those of hemody- drugs used for stroke prevention, (c) briefly review namic compromise. However, the most the pharmacology of new antithrombotic drugs feared complication of AF is thromboem- under evaluation in AF, (d) describe ongoing trials bolism, which can present as a stroke or with new antiplatelet therapies and idraparinux, and systemic embolic event.12 Compared with completed studies with ximelagatran in patients with age-matched controls, patients with nonval- AF, and (e) provide clinical perspective into the vular AF have a 2- to 7-fold increased risk of potential role of new antithrombotic drugs in AF. stroke with the absolute risk of stroke rang- (Am J Manag Care. 2004;10:S72-S82) ing from 1% to about 5% per year depending on the absence or presence of clinical risk factors.3,9,13-15 Factors that increase the risk of stroke include patient age of ≥75 years, CHF, hypertension (systolic or diastolic), diabetes mellitus, and past history of a car- trial fibrillation (AF), the most com- dioembolic event (transient ischemic attack, mon arrhythmia in adults, accounts stroke, or systemic embolism).16,17 In pa- for about one third of hospital admis- tients presenting with acute ischemic A 1 sions for cardiac arrhythmias. The preva- stroke, AF is found in up to 20%, and its lence of AF increases with age, increasing presence is associated with a 2-fold increase from 1% in those <60 years of age to almost in mortality.18 10% in persons >80 years of age.2-6 When Because of the risk of thromboembolism adjustments are made for age, AF is more in patients with AF, a major part of treat- common in men than in women.7 Thus, the ment is the use of measures to reduce the S72 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MANAGED CARE APRIL 2004 Novel Antithrombotic Therapies for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation risk of stroke. One obvious question is of antiplatelet drugs, aspirin plus clopido- whether conversion to sinus rhythm lowers grel, ximelagatran, the first oral direct the risk of thromboembolism in patients thrombin inhibitor, and idraparinux, a par- with AF. Recently, 4 studies have addressed enteral, long-acting synthetic pentasaccha- this question by examining whether rate ride.23 This paper will (a) provide an control or rhythm control provides more overview of the clinical trials that form the effective protection against thromboembolic basis for current antithrombotic guidelines events, reduces mortality, and offers better in patients with AF, (b) highlight the limi- relief of symptoms or improved quality of tations of current antithrombotic drugs, (c) life.19-22 All 4 of these studies focused mainly briefly review the pharmacology of new on patients >65 years of age with at least 1 antithrombotic drugs, (d) describe ongoing risk factor for stroke. The largest study, the trials with new antiplatelet therapies and Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of idraparinux, and completed studies with Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) trial,19 ran- ximelagatran in AF patients, and (e) pro- domized 4060 such patients to rate or vide clinical perspective into the potential rhythm control. Anticoagulation was contin- role of new antithrombotic drugs for ued indefinitely in the rate control group patients with AF. and was encouraged in the rhythm control group, but could be stopped if sinus rhythm Current Status of Antithrombotic was maintained for at least 4, but preferably Therapy in AF 6 consecutive weeks. The prevalence of Meta-analyses of primary prevention sinus rhythm in the rhythm control group studies indicate that warfarin is more effec- was 82%, 73%, and 63% at 1, 3, and 5 years, tive than placebo for prevention of stroke respectively, whereas its prevalence in the and systemic embolism in AF patients (odds rate control group was 35% at 5 years.19 ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.19-0.48; P The primary end point, overall mortality <.001), but is associated with a trend for an at 5 years, was 23.8% and 21.3% in the increased risk of major bleeding (OR, 1.9; rhythm control and rate control groups, 95% CI, 0.89-4.00; P=.1).22 Compared with respectively (hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% confi- placebo for primary prevention, aspirin also dence interval [CI], 0.99-1.24; P=.008). reduces the risk of stroke and systemic Rates of stroke were 8.9% and 7.4% in the embolism (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.46-1.02; rhythm control and rate control groups, P=.06), without clear evidence of an respectively (P <.2), and >70% of strokes in increased risk of major bleeding (OR, 0.82; both groups occurred in patients who had 95% CI, 0.37-1.78; P >.2).22 When warfarin is stopped anticoagulant therapy, or in those compared with aspirin, warfarin produces a whose international normalized ratio (INR) greater reduction in stroke and systemic was <2.0.19 Thus, patients in the AFFIRM embolism (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45-0.99; P trial19 showed no improvement in mortality =.04), without conclusive evidence of more or morbidity with aggressive rhythm con- major bleeding (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.75-3.44; trol; findings that have been confirmed in 3 P>.2).22 For primary prevention, adjusting smaller randomized clinical trials.20-22 These the dose of warfarin to produce an INR of 2.0 data indicate that a strategy that combines to 3.0 appears to be more effective than low- rate control with antithrombotic therapy is dose warfarin regimens that target an INR of as effective as rhythm control in most 1.1 to 1.6 (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.25-1.08; patients with AF. P=.08), even when low-dose warfarin is At present, options for antithrombotic combined with aspirin (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, therapy in patients with AF are limited to 0.14-1.39; P=.16).22 aspirin and/or vitamin K antagonists, the Two trials evaluated warfarin or aspirin most common of which is warfarin.17 for secondary prevention, enrolling AF However, this is likely to change in the near patients who already had suffered a stroke future as the role of new antithrombotic reg- or transient ischemic attack.24,25 In the imens is established in patients with AF. largest trial,24 patients were stratified These novel regimens include a combination according to their eligibility for warfarin VOL. 10, NO. 3, SUP. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MANAGED CARE S73 REPORTS Table 1. Annual Risk of Stroke in National Stroke Registry of Atrial Fibrillation (NRAF) Applied to Different Stroke Risk-Stratification Schemes AFI SPAF CHADS2 Risk factor Low risk = no risk factors Low risk = no risk factors 1 point for each of the classification Moderate risk = age >65 years Moderate risk = hypertension following: recent CHF, High risk = prior ischemic event, High risk = prior ischemic event, hypertension, age ≥75 years, hypertension and DM women >75 years, recent CHF or DM or LVF 25%, SBP >160 mm Hg 2 points for prior cerebral ischemic event NRAF stroke rate (%) per 100 patient-years (95% confidence interval)61 Low — 1.5 (0.5-2.8) 0 1.9 (1.2-3.0) 1 2.8 (2.0-3.8) Moderate 2.2 (1.1-3.5) 3.3 (1.7-5.2) 2 4.0 (3.1-5.1) 3 5.9 (4.6-7.3) High 5.4 (4.2-6.5) 5.7 (4.4-7.0) 4 8.5 (6.3-11.1) 5 12.5 (8.2-17.5) 6 18.2 (10.5-27.4) AFI indicates Atrial Fibrillation Investigators; SPAF, Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation trial; CHADS2, Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes, and Stroke; DM, diabetes mellitus; CHF, congestive heart failure; LVF, left ventricular function; SBP, systolic blood pressure.