Ten years of non-vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: is warfarin obsolete?

Currently, four non-vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are available for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). These have been in clinical use for up to 10 years now. Besides data of the initial phase III clinical trials, now clinical data, several sub-studies, meta-analyses, and studies in special clinical settings and specific patient populations are available. This review shall give an overview on the history of NOAC development, sum up study data and ‘real-world’ clinical data as well as discuss several special clinical settings like NOAC treatment in patients that require coronary artery stenting or cardioversion (CV). Furthermore, treatment considerations in special patient populations like patients with renal impairment, obesity, or patients requiring NOACs for secondary prevention are discussed. The significance of NOAC treatment will be discussed under consideration of the recently published 2020 ESC/EACTS Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of AF.