Medical Expert Witness On Medicolegal Pitfalls

Medical expert witness and Chief Editor of web-based emedicine Dr. Erik Schraga would like legal professionals and experts to know that emedicine offers continually updated clinical reference information which may prove useful in cases they are working on. The following excerpt on cardiology provides information on atrial fibrillation medicolegal pitfalls.

Medicolegal Pitfalls
* Proper anticoagulation is extremely important in both paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.
* Anticoagulation before and after cardioversion is necessary.
* Use of antiarrhythmic agents requires regular, drug-specific follow-up testing.

Special Concerns
* Warfarin is contraindicated during pregnancy.
* Give special consideration to patients who are noncompliant and patients who are at risk for falling. These patients may be better off with antiplatelet agents such as aspirin.