Differences in activated clotting time and initial heparin dosage during atrial fibrillation ablation for patients with edoxaban compared with warfarin

BACKGROUND Different target activated clotting times (ACTs) during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation have been proposed. Moreover, relationships between initial bolus dose of heparin at the start of AF ablation in patients receiving edoxaban anticoagulation therapy and ACT are unclear. METHODS Patients who received anticoagulation with uninterrupted warfarin (control; n = 120) or interrupted edoxaban (n = 120) on the morning of day of ablation were studied. An initial dose of 100 U/kg heparin was administered as a reliable control for warfarin. Initial heparin doses of 120, 130, 140, or 150 U/kg were randomly administered to the edoxaban group. RESULTS Edoxaban group showed shorter baseline ACT before the procedure (130 ± 16 seconds) than the warfarin group (152 ± 26 seconds, P