Left atrial thrombus does occur in patients with acute atrial fibrillation < 3 days in duration. The frequency of left atrial thrombus in patients with recent emboli is comparable between those with acute and chronic atrial fibrillation. These data suggest that patients with acute atrial fibrillation for < 3 days require anticoagulation prophylaxis or evaluation by transesophageal echocardiography before cardioversion and should not be assumed to be free of left atrial thrombus.
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