People with atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, face a high likelihood of stroke. To reduce the risk, the American Academy of Neurology recommends taking anticoagulants.

Patients with certain types of atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia, are at a high risk of stroke and blood clots if they temporarily stop their blood thinning medication before surgery or permanently because of side effects.

Prior to its approval last year, there was much debate about Xarelto ( rivaroxaban ), an anti-clotting drug designed to prevent stroke among patients with atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia.