In patients with ischemic stroke or TIA in the setting of a mechanical assist device, treatment with warfarin and aspirin can be beneficial to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke or TIA.516 523 In patients with ischemic stroke or TIA in the setting of LV noncompaction, treatment with warfarin can be beneficial to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke or TIA. In patients with ischemic stroke or TIA in sinus rhythm with ischemic or nonischemic cardio- myopathy and reduced EF without evidence of left atrial or LV thrombus, the effectiveness of anticoagulation compared with antiplatelet therapy is uncertain, and the choice should be 3: Harm B-R In patients with stroke or TIA and LV assist devices (LVADs), treatment with dabigatran instead of warfarin for the primary or second- ary prevention of ischemic stroke or TIA Synopsis Compared with the general population without cardio- myopathy, patients with cardiomyopathy and impaired LV EF have a higher incidence of thromboembolism. In patients with cardiomyopathy, ischemic stroke, or TIA in sinus rhythm who have intracardiac thrombus dem- onstrated by echocardiography or another imaging anticoagulant therapy with a warfarin is recommended for 3 months (Figure 4). Patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy represent a peculiar subgroup at higher risk of thromboembolic complica- In patients with ischemic stroke or TIA in the setting of LV noncompaction, treatment with war- farin therapy can be beneficial. The effectiveness of oral anticoagulation compared with antiplatelet therapy in patients with cardiomyopathy and reduced EF and ischemic stroke or TIA in sinus rhythm with no evidence of left atrial or LV thrombus is uncertain, and the choice should be individualized, taking into account the bleed- ing risk and estimated risk of recurrent thromboembo- Patients with LVADs have a high prevalence of neurological complications (thromboembolic/hemor- rhagic). 