Dear debra,
Yes, everyone with
atrialAtrial fibrillation/flutter
Atrial myxoma
Left atrial myxoma
Right atrial myxoma fibrillationAtrial fibrillation/flutter
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
Ventricular fibrillation is at an elevated risk for stroke due to small clots forming in the atrium when they are not contracting. Everyone with afib should be on some type of anticougulation be it coumadin or aspirin. What is different is the risk level for individuals of different ages. The risk of stroke is higher in older individuals and in individuals with structural heart disese
(disease) so generally coumadin is used in these cases. In younger persons with normal hearts the risk is not as great and generally aspirin daily is all the protection that is needed. Your doctor can evaluate the degree of risk for you based on your age, heart function and the amount of time you are in afib. Based on this he/she can recommend coumadin or aspirin.