Comparison between warfarin and aspirin

According to a new study, it shows that warfarin and aspirin are equally effective in stroke prevention in the majority of patients at risk. Aspirin prevents blood clotting by stopping platelets from clumping together, while warfarin acts on the levels of blood clotting proteins. So both are known to help prevent blood clots in the brain that lead to strokes. Till date, it has been thought that warfarin is more effective at preventing stroke, but causes more side effects and is more expensive. Many research has shown that warfarin works better than aspirin in patients who have atrial fibrillation (AF) - a heart rhythm abnormality.

According to a study carried out by doctors in Toronto, covering over 1,500 patients, showing that the treatment with warfarin or aspirin is definitely far superior to no preventive treatment at all. But a comparison of the two shows there is little to choose between them. This means that either can be prescribed to patients at risk of stroke.