Heparin bridging after stroke linked with worse outcomes

Even while waiting for warfarin to take effect, there is no reduction in ischaemic events, study shows
Reuters Health
Heparin

Bridging with low-molecular-weight heparin is associated with worse outcomes after stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, results from two studies show.

Italian researchers reanalysed data from 1810 patients that had been enrolled in two prospective cohort studies investigating stroke recurrence after atrial fibrillation to compare outcomes according to whether or not they received bridging therapy and according to the type of oral anticoagulant initiated.