Inpharma 1239 - 27 May 2000

■ Low-dose warfarin appears optimal for thesecondary prevention of stroke and transientischaemic attack (TIA) in patients with nonvalvularatrial fibrillation (NVAF), report researchers fromJapan. 115 patients aged < 80 years who hadexperienced a stroke or TIA due to NVAF received low-intensity warfarin [targeted to maintain an internationalnormalised ratio (INR) of 1.9] (n = 60) orconventional-intensity warfarin (INR of 2.5).* Theannual rate of ischaemic stroke was low in both low-and conventional-intensity groups (1.7 vs 1.1% peryear); the between-group difference was notsignificant. All of the 6 patients who experiencedmajor bleeding were elderly (mean age of 74 years)and they had a mean INR of 2.8 prior to the bleeding.* Due to a significantly higher rate of haemorrhage in theconventional-intensity group, compared with the low-intensitygroup (6.6 vs 0% per year), the trial was discontinued early after afollow-up duration of 658 days.

Yamaguchi T, et al. Optimal intensity of warfarin therapy for secondaryprevention of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: amulticenter, prospective, randomized trial. Stroke 31: 817-821, Apr2000 800825553

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Inpharma 27 May 2000 No. 12391173-8324/10/1239-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved