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Anticoagulants Other Than Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation
How Well It Works
Dabigatran and rivaroxaban lower the risk of stroke in people who have atrial fibrillation.Reference 2, Reference 3
How much your risk for a stroke will be lowered depends on how high your risk was to start with. Not everyone who has 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 an anticoagulant. Anticoagulants can help prevent stroke. But this medicine also raises the risk of bleeding. Your own risk of bleeding may be higher or lower than average, based on your own health.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 14, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
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