Abstract
Objective: Contrast the use of Vitamin K Antagonists (AVK) versus New Direct Oral Anticoagulants (NOAC) in Electrical Cardioversion (EC) in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF), in the emergency context. Literature Review: Patients with AF admitted to the Emergency Department have as current treatment heart rate control with medication, electrical or pharmacological cardioversion, the use of catheter ablation and the control of thromboembolic complications with the use of anticoagulants. Given this circumstance, CE is appropriate as a way to control acute sinus rhythm, especially in hemodynamically unstable patients. However, this procedure entails an increased risk for thromboembolic events, and it is essential to administer anticoagulant drugs prior to the procedure. From this view, a comparison was made between AVKs and NOACs as the main therapy for electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation in emergency, in which these, despite their lesser knowledge, have advantages based on better quality of life for the patient and at high efficiency. Final considerations: Despite successful results, the scientific literature requires further elucidation to widely institute NOACs as the preferred therapy for the cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.