Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation
How Well It Works
Warfarin lowers the risk of stroke in people who have atrial fibrillation. But how much your risk will be lowered depends on how high your risk was to start with. Not everyone with atrial fibrillation has the same risk of stroke. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor about your risk.
You will want to weigh the benefits of reducing your risk of stroke against the risks of taking warfarin. Warfarin works well to prevent stroke. But warfarin also raises the risk of bleeding. Each year about 2 out of 100 people who take warfarin will have a problem with severe bleeding, and 98 will not.Reference 1 But this is an average risk. Your own risk may be higher or lower than average, based on your own health.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 2, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference John M. Miller, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology |
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