[Which antithrombotic treatment should be used in the treatment of an elderly patient with chronic atrial fibrillation?].

UNLABELLED: FREQUENCY AND CONSEQUENCES: The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) increases regularly with age and affects nearly 10% of persons aged over 80. The risk of thromboembolism (notably stroke) associated is enhanced the older the patient and the more cardiovascular risk factors she/he exhibits. ADVANTAGES AND RISKS OF ANTICOAGULANTS: Treatment with anticoagulants is the only treatment that has demonstrated its efficacy in reducing the risks of thromboembolism, however there is a risk of haemorrhage.

IN PRACTICE: A patient with AF exhibits both a risk of thromboembolism and a risk of haemorrhage. When confronted with such patients, the practitioner must choose an antithrombotic (anticoagulant or anti-arrhythmic agent) after careful objective and individual assessment of all the risks present in a given patient.