Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism, dementia and mortality. The management of patients with this condition is complex and there are still many major gaps requiring extensive research. For example, the interaction between the gastrointestinal system and AF warrants further investigations. It is unclear which should be the correct management of oral anticoagulation therapy in particular situations such as bariatric surgery, and the role of gut microbiota and how it may affect the absorption and metabolization of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and consequently the quality of anticoagulation has not been investigated.
This issue aims to shed light on some controversial and scarcely investigated topics in relation to AF and gastrointestinal system and to explore novel approaches that should be considered for stroke prevention and risk-factor optimization.
Some examples of topics of current interest and hypothesis to be tested are:
1) Efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in the context of bariatric surgery.
2) Oral anticoagulants and common drug/food interactions.
3) Implications in the quality of therapy and outcomes and the role of probiotics and prebiotics.
4) Gut microbiota, dysbiosis and oral anticoagulation therapy in atrial fibrillation.
5) Cancer diagnosis after gastrointestinal bleeding in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation.
6) Effectiveness and safety of direct-acting oral anticoagulants in AF patients at extremes of body weight (i.e. low-body weight and obese patients).
7) Other risk factors in atrial fibrillation: impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, thrombocytopenia and others.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism, dementia and mortality. The management of patients with this condition is complex and there are still many major gaps requiring extensive research. For example, the interaction between the gastrointestinal system and AF warrants further investigations. It is unclear which should be the correct management of oral anticoagulation therapy in particular situations such as bariatric surgery, and the role of gut microbiota and how it may affect the absorption and metabolization of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and consequently the quality of anticoagulation has not been investigated.
This issue aims to shed light on some controversial and scarcely investigated topics in relation to AF and gastrointestinal system and to explore novel approaches that should be considered for stroke prevention and risk-factor optimization.
Some examples of topics of current interest and hypothesis to be tested are:
1) Efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in the context of bariatric surgery.
2) Oral anticoagulants and common drug/food interactions.
3) Implications in the quality of therapy and outcomes and the role of probiotics and prebiotics.
4) Gut microbiota, dysbiosis and oral anticoagulation therapy in atrial fibrillation.
5) Cancer diagnosis after gastrointestinal bleeding in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation.
6) Effectiveness and safety of direct-acting oral anticoagulants in AF patients at extremes of body weight (i.e. low-body weight and obese patients).
7) Other risk factors in atrial fibrillation: impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, thrombocytopenia and others.
