Use of novel oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias, which results in disability and death in the patients. The mechanisms of systemic and local atrial activation of the coagulation system provoke the risk of stroke in the presence of even short AF episodes. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), particularly rivaroxaban, have shown their efficacy in preventing stroke in patients with AF. The international ROCKET AF, XANTUS, PREFER, and RIVER studies have studied different aspects of anticoagulant therapy, on the basis of which, the use of rivaroroxaban has been approved for the prevention of ischemic stroke and systemic embolisms in patients with non-valvular AF; the efficacy and safety of the drug have been proven.