Oral Anticoagulation in Patients With End-Stage Kidney Disease on Dialysis and Atrial Fibrillation.

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have an elevated incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and are at increased risk for thromboembolic events. However, these patients are also at increased risk for bleeding and it is unclear whether they benefit from an oral anticoagulant. Point prevalent on July 1, 2015, only ~28% of dialysis patients with AF were on oral anticoagulation. Warfarin was the most commonly used oral anticoagulant, followed by apixaban, while dabigatran and rivaroxaban were rarely used. This article reviews the current evidence regarding each oral anticoagulant especially as they relate to patients with ESKD.