Trends in utilization of antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation before stroke onset in a community-based study, from 1985 through 1997

Despite the significant beneficial effects of antithrombotic therapy in primary prevention of stroke in patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial arrhythmia, this prevention therapy is underutilized. We conducted this population-based study to determine the rates and the trends of utilization of antithrombotic therapy for stroke patients with atrial fibrillation before stroke onset, and to evaluate indirectly the impact of medical recommendations...