Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder that occurs in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Recent studies have shown that the incidence of AF increases in patients receiving dialysis for their kidney disease. Both AF and ESKD are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. AF has been found to be correlated with a five-fold higher risk of thromboembolic events, and the presence of ESKD further increases the risk of stroke. As a result, anticoagulant agents have been commonly used in this unique patient population to prevent strokes, despite concerns that dialysis patients are already at a higher risk of bleeding.
