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There is evidence that a stroke arising from AF can take place hours and days later. The problem is dislodging of a clot from the atrial appendage, and that might not take place for many hours. Or, it might take place inside of 20 minutes, much too early for the just-swallowed apixaban/other anticoagulant to have any benefit. So, the prescription is usually for life once your CHADS/VASc score rises to a certain value. And, if it's for life, and if you take one or two tablets each day per prescription, you'll always be protected, 24/7, by the bioavailable quantity of drug in your system. Taking it after a bout of AF raises your risk of stroke because it takes at least 40 minutes for the drug to begin to function in your blood.
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@gloaming with afib once a year or now once every two years, the risk/benefit balance for me is to not take anticoagulants. My docs agree. There was a study on short term anticoagulation for people like me and the results were excellent. The episode needs to last 5 hours. Mine usually don't except for the one in 2021 that lasted 7. There is risk of stroke with anticoagulants as well!
ps the hospital docs did an echo for me when it lasted 7 hours to check for clots (and of course I had Lovenox).