Apixaban During Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation: Comparison to Vitamin K Antagonist Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: I1. Non-valvular AF (ECG-documented) with a clinical indication for catheter ablation I2. Clinical indication to undergo catheter ablation on continuous anticoagulant therapy I3. Presence of at least one of the CHADS2 stroke risk factors * Stroke or TIA * age ≥ 75 years, * hypertension, defined as chronic treatment for hypertension, estimated need for continuous antihypertensive therapy or resting blood pressure \> 145/90 mm Hg, * diabetes mellitus, * symptomatic heart failure (NYHA ≥ II). I4. Age ≥ 18 years I5. Provision of signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: General exclusion criteria E1. Any disease that limits life expectancy to less than 1 year E2. Participation in another clinical trial, either within the past two months or still ongoing E3. Previous participation in AXAFA E4. Pregnant women or women of childbearing potential not on adequate birth control: only women with a highly effective method of contraception (oral contraception or intra-uterine device) or sterile women can be randomised. E5. Breastfeeding women E6. Drug abuse or clinically manifest alcohol abuse E7. Any stroke within 14 days before randomisation E8. Coadministration with drugs that are strong dual inhibitors of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or strong dual inducers of CYP3A4 and P-gp (Appendix VIII). Exclusion criteria related to a cardiac condition E9. Valvular AF (as defined by the focussed update of the ESC guidelines on AF, i.e. severe mitral valve stenosis, mechanical heart valve). Furthermore, patients who underwent mitral valve repair are not eligible for AXAFA. E10. Any previous ablation or surgical therapy for AF E11. Cardiac ablation therapy for any indication (catheter-based or surgical) within 3 months prior to randomisation E12. Clinical need for "triple therapy" (combination therapy of clopidogrel, acetylsalicylic acid, and oral anticoagulation) E13. Other contraindications for use of VKA or apixaban E14. Documented atrial thrombi less than 3 months prior to randomisation. Exclusion criteria based on laboratory abnormalities E15. Severe chronic kidney disease with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \< 15 ml/min