Han TS, et al. - This study draws on data from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme to assess the use of anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its implications on the development of stroke. Researchers employed descriptive statistics to summarize subject characteristics and Χ² test to evaluate differences between categorical variables. Participants in the study were 1,656 men and 1,653 women admitted with stroke. Of the patients with history of AF admitted with a first ischemic stroke, 37.2% were on anticoagulation and 49.6% were not. Compared to those already on anticoagulation treatment, thrombolysis was given more frequently to those without prior anticoagulation treatment (16.1%) or unsuitable for anticoagulation (23.6%). Of patients with AF who presented with ischemic stroke and were not anticoagulated or considered unsuitable for anticoagulation before admission, 91.8% and 75.0%, respectively, were anticoagulated on discharge. The investigation highlighted an existing burden for subjects with stroke and reflects inadequate treatment of AF, which was correlated with increased risk of stroke. In addition, there was significant scope to improve the rates of anticoagulation.