Anticoagulation in critically ill patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation: a risk worth taking?
New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF), detected in the setting of acute non-cardiac illness, is a significant clinical concern in critically ill patients. The incidence rate of NOAF during acute illness can reach up to 44%, with recurrence rates as high as 68% within five years.1 NOAF complicates the care of critically ill patients and increases the short- and long-term adverse events. Notably, patients experiencing NOAF were found to have a tenfold higher risk of readmissions due to atrial fibrillation (AF) and its associated sequelae.
