Exploring Edoxaban in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from Clinical Studies and Real-World Evidence

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most prevalent forms of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly among the ageing population. It is projected to affect about 8 and 17 million individuals in the United States and Europe in 2050, respectively.  Although the prevalence of AF among Asians is relatively lower, the disease burden is high owing to the growing ageing population; approximately 72 million individuals are expected to receive an AF diagnosis in the next few decades.  Stroke is a clinically important complication observed in patients with AF as its incidence rate is 4- to 5-fold higher than that in patients without AF.  In particular, Asians have a higher incidence of AF-related risks of bleeding and stroke when compared with non-Asians. The annual risk of ischaemic stroke in Asian patients with AF was reported to be approximately 3%.  As such, stroke prevention is an important aspect in the management of AF.