Novel oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: which novel oral anticoagulant for which patient?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common rhythm disorder and represents a major public health problem because it carries an increased risk of arterial thromboembolism and ischemic stroke. Current european society of cardiology guidelines recommend to stratify atrial fibrillation patients according to the CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score and to administer anticoagulation, preferably with novel oral anticoagulants, that is, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban, if the CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score is at least 1. All novel anticoagulants have shown the same, if not greater, efficacy and safety as warfarin, with some advantages. The choice among the novel oral anticoagulants depends on their different pharmacokinetic profile, patients' stroke and bleeding risk, comorbidities, drug tolerability and costs and, finally, patients' preferences.