Impact of different anticoagulation therapies on heparin dosage applied to atrial fibrillation patients undergoing atrial fibrillation catheter ablation

Objective Differences in the activated coagulation time(ACT)during ablation and adequate heparin dosing were observed among atrial fibrillation(AF)patients undergoing AF catheter ablation receiving different anticoagulation therapies and the suitable heparin dosing during ablation among patients treated with different anticoagulation therapies was explored.Methods Patients who received warfarin(n=100),low-molecular-weight heparin(n=100),dabigatran etexilate(n=98,110 mg,Bid)and rivaroxaban(n=48,20 mg,Qd)were included.All of them underwent the first AF ablation during January 2016 to December 2017 and patients with hepatic and renal dysfunction were excluded.Initial bolus heparin(100 U/kg,intravenous)was applied to all patients.Additional heparin dosage was added according to the ACT,which was measured in 15-minute interval to maintain the ACT within 250-350 seconds until the end of ablation.Patient characteristics,ACT and complications were compared among various groups.Results The baseline general characteristics among patients were similar.