This Figure repeats the information presented by Dr. Rothman. The point of this post hoc analysis is that the anticoagulant action of dabigatran begins within 2 hours.  At present both the guidelines and customary clinical practice lead to anticoagulating patients for 3 weeks prior to a scheduled cardioversion.[111] Actually, with warfarin it probably requires >3 weeks to establish a stable INR in the patient – perhaps 4, 5, 6, 8 weeks.  Therefore this represents another significant benefit with dabigatran -- its predictability.

 Reiffel JA. Am J Med 2013; 126: 00-00.