Despite concerns about bleeding and stroke, real-world data suggests those side effects are low in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are treated with rivaroxaban for stroke prevention. Results of the XANTUS study, presented recently in London at the European Society of Cardiology 2015 Congress, demonstrate that oral anticoagulation with the direct Factor Xa inhibitor is safe and effective for stroke prevention in patients with AF at both high and low risk of thromboembolic events. The study involved 6,784 patients with nonvalvular AF from 311 routine practice centers across Europe and Canada.

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