It is important to point out that a high percentage of patients with AFib who are eligible for anticoagulation and who should be anticoagulated are not receiving this therapy.[18]  That is, these patients are not being anticoagulated with anything, without regard to whether they should be anticoagulated with a NOAC or with warfarin.  Needless to say, for patients with AFib, being on any of these anticoagulation options – even plain old warfarin – would be better than being on no anticoagulation at all.

Thus, it is important for physicians to realize that, as outlined in Figure 20, there is still vast undertreatment of patients with AFib, even in this era of new, efficacious choices for oral anticoagulation therapy.  The other important point for physicians who treat patients with AFib is to be sure they understand that antiplatelet therapy, even dual antiplatelet therapy, does not appear to be confer the same degree of protection as being on an effective anticoagulation regimen.