Novel stroke prevention strategies following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Stroke prevention following successful catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation remains a controversial topic. Oral anticoagulation is associated with a significant reduction in stroke risk in the general atrial fibrillation population but may be associated with an increased risk of major bleeding, and the benefit: risk ratio must be considered. Improvement in successful catheter ablation and widespread use of cardiac monitoring devices may allow for novel anticoagulation strategies in a subset of patients with atrial fibrillation, which may optimize stroke prevention while minimizing bleeding risk. In this review, we discuss stroke risk in atrial fibrillation and the effects of successful catheter ablation on thromboembolic risk. We also explore novel strategies for stroke prevention following successful catheter ablation.