Long term follow up of direct oral anticoagulants and warfarin therapy on stroke, with all-cause mortality as a competing risk, in people with atrial fibrillation: Sentinel network database study.

In this large, contemporary, real world primary care study with longer follow-up, we found no overall difference in the hazard of stroke between warfarin and DOAC treatment for AF. However, there was a significant time-varying effect between anti-coagulant regimen on all-cause mortality, with DOACs showing better survival. This is a key methodological observation for future follow-up studies, and reassuring for patients and health care professionals for longer duration of therapy.