Gastroprotective therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving anticoagulant therapy: A review

Prevention of thromboembolic complications is the main goal in patients with atrial fibrillation. Anticoagulant therapy is used as prophylaxis, and direct oral anticoagulants are preferred. However, this therapy is associated with a risk of bleeding, among which gastrointestinal bleeding takes a leading place. Proton pump inhibitors are now widely used as prophylaxis for upper gastrointestinal bleedings, but when used long-term, may be associated with a number of adverse drug reactions, including an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Long-term use of these drugs may suppress the action of antiplatelet drugs, disrupt the function of the vascular endothelium, and at the same time cause hypomagnesemia, iron deficiency, vitamin D and K deficiency. At the same time, monotherapy with proton pump inhibitors does not protect against the risk of bleeding from the lower gastrointestinal tract. Thus, as an effective gastro- and enteroprotection, it is necessary to prescribe drugs that protect the gastrointestinal tract throughout its entire length. Such a drug is rebamipide, which has a complex protective effect on the gastrointestinal tract, protecting the mucous membrane at all its levels (pre-, post-epithelial and directly epithelial level), and ensures the restoration of tight contacts in the epithelium of the intestinal tube throughout its entire length. It should be noted that the current consensus documents of the leading experts on the problem of decreasing the risk of gastrointestinal bleedings during direct oral anticoagulant treatment recommend the use of rebamipide for the entire duration of therapy.