Drug interactions with oral anticoagulants in German nursing home residents: comparison between vitamin K antagonists and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants based on two nested case–control studies

2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Jobski ◽  
Falk Hoffmann ◽  
Stefan Herget-Rosenthal ◽  
Michael Dörks
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Capiau ◽  
E Mehuys ◽  
I Van Tongelen ◽  
T De Backer ◽  
T Christiaens ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The emergence of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) has caused a paradigm shift in anticoagulation therapy, with NOAC being increasingly used compared to vitamin K antagonists. Despite the numerous RCTs with NOAC, further follow-up on how this high risk new drug class is used in real-world clinical practice is warranted. Purpose This study aimed to describe NOAC use in a primary care sample of long-term NOAC users, and investigated (i) adherence, (ii) patients' perceptions, (iii) drug interactions and (iv) appropriateness of dosing. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 158 community pharmacies. Participants were home-dwelling adults treated with a NOAC for at least one year. They completed a questionnaire collecting data on socio-demographics, clinical characteristics, current medication use, self-reported adherence to NOAC (via Medication Adherence Report Scale, MARS), and beliefs and perceptions about NOAC (via Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, BMQ). Adherence to NOAC (self-reported (MARS) and calculated using pharmacy dispensing data (Medication Possession Ratio (MPR)); patients' beliefs and perceptions about NOAC (BMQ); and prevalence of drug interactions and inappropriate dosing (using the recommendations in the summary of product characteristics (SmPC) and the 2018 European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Practical Guide) were assessed. Results Participants (n=766) had a mean age of 76.2±8.8 years, several co-morbidities (median of 5 (IQR 4–6)) and high thromboembolic risk (median CHA2DS2-VASc score of 4 (IQR 3–4)). The majority (93.5%) used NOAC for non-valvular atrial fibrillation, while the other 6.5% used it for the prevention of recurrent deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Forty point five percent of the study sample used rivaroxaban, 36.2% apixaban, 21.1% dabigatran and 2.2% edoxaban. About 85% was adherent according to MPR (MPR ≥80%) and self-reported adherence was also high (mean MARS score 24.6±1.0). Two-thirds reported at least one adverse event of the NOAC, with easy bruising/bleeding being most prevalent (40.2% of patients). BMQ showed that 91.3% of patients favoured the “necessity” over the “concerns” of NOAC use. Thirty-one percent of patients had ≥1 drug interaction(s) with NOAC; amiodarone (10.4% of patients), antiplatelet agents (9.7%) and NSAIDs (9.0%) were the most common interacting drugs. NOAC dosing was inappropriate in 15.9% of patients according to SmPC and in 23.1% according to EHRA. Intriguingly, underdosing was more common using the SmPC as reference, while overdosing was more common using the EHRA guideline. Conclusions This real-world analysis of NOAC use revealed high adherence and necessity beliefs, drug interactions in 30% of patients, and suboptimal dosing in about one fifth of patients. These findings can inform the design of targeted community pharmacist interventions to improve quality of NOAC use.


Author(s):  
Kuang-Tsu Yang ◽  
Wei-Chih Sun ◽  
Tzung-Jiun Tsai ◽  
Feng-Woei Tsay ◽  
Wen-Chi Chen ◽  
...  

Background: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are more commonly used to prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients from thromboembolic events than vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). However, the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) risk in the Asian AF patients associated with NOACs in comparison with VKAs remained unaddressed. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of studies on NOACs and VKAs in the Asian AF patients was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The primary outcome was the hazard ratio (HR) of any GIB associated with NOACs versus VKAs. The secondary outcome was the GIB risks in different kinds of NOACs compared with VKAs. Results: This meta-analysis included two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four retrospective studies, comprising at least 200,000 patients in total. A significantly lower HR of GIB risks was found in all kinds of NOACs than VKAs in the Asian AF patients (HR: 0.633; 95% confidence interval: 0.535–0.748; p < 0.001). Additionally, the GIB risks of different NOACs were apixaban (HR: 0.392), edoxaban (HR: 0.603), dabigatran (HR: 0.685), and rivaroxaban (HR: 0.794), respectively. Conclusions: NOACs significantly reduced the risk of GIB in the Asian AF patients compared with VKAs. In the four NOACs compared with VKAs, apixaban probably had a trend of the least GIB risk. We need further head-to-head studies of different NOACs to confirm which NOAC is the most suitable for Asian AF patients and to know the optimal dosage regimen of different NOACs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 2528-2534
Author(s):  
Dagmara Wojtowicz ◽  
Anna Tomaszuk-Kazberuk ◽  
Jolanta Małyszko ◽  
Marek Koziński

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are currently recommended for oral anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. In the setting, NOACs effectively prevent from stroke and systemic embolic events. In spite of the favorable safety profile of NOACs when compared with vitamin K antagonists, the use of any kind of anticoagulation is associated with an increased risk of bleeding. However, there is still a lack of direct comparisons of effectiveness and safety among NOACs. The results of indirect comparisons and meta-analyses suggest that the risk of various types of hemorrhagic complications differ among the particular NOACs. Management of bleeding in patients under NOAC therapy can be challenging because of limited availability of antidotes and the lack of routine laboratory test monitoring the NOAC anticoagulant effect. In case of life-threatening or critical site bleeding, reversal of NOAC anticoagulant activity is essential together with immediate implementation of causative treatment. Moreover, some patients on chronic NOAC therapy may require urgent surgery or invasive procedures. Specific reversal agents for NOACs have been developed, i.e. more widely available idarucizumab for the factor IIa inhibitor (dabigatran) and andexanet alfa for the factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban) with limited availability. This review summarizes the occurrence and management of NOAC-related bleeding complications with a particular emphasis on hematuria.


ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 268-272
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Weitz

The limitations of vitamin K antagonists prompted the development of new oral anticoagulants that could be administered in fixed doses without routine coagulation monitoring. Focusing on thrombin and factor Xa because of their prominent roles in coagulation, structure-based design led to the development of small molecules that bind to the active site pockets of these enzymes with high affinity and specificity. Four non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are now licensed: dabigatran, which inhibits thrombin, and rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban, which inhibit factor Xa. In phase III randomized clinical trials that included over 100,000 patients these agents have proven to be at least as effective as vitamin K antagonists for prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and for treatment of venous thromboembolism, and to produce less bleeding, particularly less intracranial bleeding.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Kirstine Laugesen ◽  
Laila Staerk ◽  
Nicholas Carlson ◽  
Anne-Lise Kamper ◽  
Jonas Bjerring Olesen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We aimed to compare effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) versus vitamin-K antagonists (VKA) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) not receiving dialysis. Methods By using personal identification numbers, we cross-linked individual-level data from Danish administrative registries. We identified every citizen with a prior diagnosis of AF and CKD who initiated NOAC or VKA (2011–2017). An external analysis of 727 AF patients with CKD (no dialysis) was performed to demonstrate level of kidney function in a comparable population. Study outcomes included incidents of stroke/thromboembolisms (TEs), major bleedings, myocardial infarctions (MIs), and all-cause mortality. We used Cox proportional hazards models to determine associations between oral anticoagulant treatment and outcomes. Results Of 1560 patients included, 1008 (64.6%) initiated VKA and 552 (35.4%) initiated NOAC. In a comparable population we found that 95.3% of the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 59 mL/min. Patients treated with NOAC had a significantly decreased risk of major bleeding (hazard ratio (HR): 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26–0.84) compared to VKA. There was not found a significant association between type of anticoagulant and risk of stroke/TE (HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.39–1.78), MI (HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.18–1.11), or all-cause mortality (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.77–1.26). Conclusion NOAC was associated with a lower risk of major bleeding in patients with AF and CKD compared to VKA. No difference was found in risk of stroke/TE, MI, and all-cause mortality.


2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (11) ◽  
pp. 1076-1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Michalski ◽  
Luise Tittl ◽  
Sebastian Werth ◽  
Ulrike Hänsel ◽  
Sven Pannach ◽  
...  

SummaryAtrial fibrillation (AF) patients treated with well-controlled vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) may benefit less from non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) because they are supposed to be at low risk of thromboembolic and bleeding complications. However, little is known about the selection, management, and outcome of such “stable” VKA patients in current practice. We assessed characteristics, VKA persistence and 12 months' outcome of AF patients selected for VKA continuation. On March 1, 2013, the Dresden NOAC registry opened recruitment of patients continuing on VKA for sites that had been actively recruiting AF patients treated with NOACs in the prior 18 months. Patient characteristics were compared with those of NOAC patients from the same sites. Four hundred twenty-seven VKA patients had a significantly lower bleeding risk profile compared with 706 patients selected for NOAC treatment. For VKA, international normalised ratio time-in-therapeutic range before enrolment was 71% and increased to 75% during a mean follow-up of 15 months. Rates of stroke/transient ischaemic attack/systemic embolism were 1.3/100 patient-years (intention-to-treat) and 0.94/100 patient-years (as-treated). On-treatment rate of ISTH major bleeding was 4.15/100 patient-years (95% CI 2.60–6.29) with a case-fatality rate of 16.3% (all-cause mortality at day 90 after major bleeding). In conclusion, in daily care, AF patients selected for VKA therapy are healthier than those treated with NOAC, demonstrate a high quality of anticoagulant control and very low stroke rates. However, despite adequate patient selection and INR control, the risk of major VKA bleeding is unacceptably high and bleeding outcome is poor.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 623-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cláudia Marques-Matos ◽  
José Nuno Alves ◽  
João Pedro Marto ◽  
Joana Afonso Ribeiro ◽  
Ana Monteiro ◽  
...  

Background There is a lower reported incidence of intracranial hemorrhage with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants compared with vitamin K antagonist. However, the functional outcome and mortality of intracranial hemorrhage patients were not assessed. Aims To compare the outcome of vitamin K antagonists- and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants-related intracranial hemorrhage. Methods We included consecutive patients with acute non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage on oral anticoagulation therapy admitted between January 2013 and June 2015 at four university hospitals. Clinical and demographic data were obtained from individual medical records. Intracranial hemorrhage was classified as intracerebral, extra-axial, or multifocal using brain computed tomography. Three-month functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale. Results Among 246 patients included, 24 (9.8%) were anticoagulated with a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and 222 (90.2%) with a vitamin K antagonists. Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants patients were older (81.5 vs. 76 years, p = 0.048) and had intracerebral hemorrhage more often (83.3% vs. 63.1%, p = 0.048). We detected a non-significant trend for larger intracerebral hemorrhage volumes in vitamin K antagonists patients ( p = 0.368). Survival analysis adjusted for age, CHA2DS2VASc, HAS-BLED, and anticoagulation reversal revealed that non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants did not influence three-month mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.39–1.80, p = 0.638). Multivariable ordinal regression for three-month functional outcome did not show a significant shift of modified Rankin Scale scores in non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants patients (odds ratio (OR) 1.26, 95%CI 0.55–2.87, p = 0.585). Conclusions We detected no significant differences in the three-month outcome between non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants- and vitamin K antagonists-associated intracranial hemorrhage, despite unavailability of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants-specific reversal agents.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Shiyovich ◽  
Varda Shalev ◽  
Gabriel Chodick ◽  
Matanya Tirosh ◽  
Amos Katz ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Non-Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) emerged as an alternative with comparable or superior efficacy and safety to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Objectives The aim of the current study was to investigate the patterns, predictors, timelines and temporal trends of shifting from VKAs to NOACs. Methods In this retrospective observational study, the computerized database of a large healthcare provider in Israel, Maccabi Healthcare Services, was searched to identify patients with AF for whom either a VKA or NOAC was prescribed between 2012 and 2015. Time from diagnosis to therapy initiation and to shifting between therapies was evaluated. Results Out of 6987 eligible AF incident patients, 2338 (33.4%) initiated treatment with a VKA and 2221 (31.7%) with a NOAC. In addition, 5259 prevalent patients were analyzed. During the study period, NOAC prescriptions proportion among the newly diagnosed cases increased from 32 to 68.4% (p for trend <  0.001). The median time from diagnosis to first dispensing was greater in NOAC than VKA and decreased among patients treated with NOAC during the study period (2012: 1.9 and 0.3 months, 2015: 0.7 and 0.2 months, respectively). During follow-up, 3737 (49%) patients (54.3% and 47.1% of the incident and prevalent cases, respectively), shifted from a VKA to a NOAC, after a median of 22 months and 39 months in the incident and prevalent cases, respectively, decreasing throughout the study period. Female gender, younger age, southern district, higher CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASC score, non-smoking, and treatment with antiplatelets were associated with a greater likelihood for therapy shift. Shifting from a NOAC to a VKA decreased over time from 8 to 4.5% in 2012 to 0.5% and 0.7% in 2015 in the incident and prevalent groups, p <  0.001 respectively. Conclusions Shifting from VKA to NOAC occurred in 50% of the cases, more frequently among incident cases, and younger patients with greater stroke risk. Shifting from a NOAC to a VKA was much less frequent, yet it occurred more often in incident cases and decreased over time. A socially and economically sensitive program to optimize the initiation of OAC therapy upon diagnosis is warranted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Binding ◽  
J.B Olesen ◽  
C Lee ◽  
C Sindet-Petersen ◽  
C.T Pedersen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Introduction Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), who are considered at risk of stroke, are treated with oral anticoagulants (OACs), and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are preferred over vitamin K antagonists in recent guidelines. Poor NOAC compliance among patients with AF could result in an increased risk of thromboembolism and major bleeding, however, it has yet to be evaluated how cohabitant status and gender affects compliance with NOAC treatment among patients with AF. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of NOAC discontinuation among patients with AF according to cohabitant status and gender. Methods Using the Danish national registries we identified and included patients with AF aged 40–90 years in treatment with NOAC. The study period was from 2013 to 2017, and patients were followed for two years, or until death, outcome or emigration. The main outcome was discontinuation of NOAC-treatment for at least 30 days. Absolute risks were calculated as cumulative incidences using the Aalen Johansen estimator, and multiple covariate adjusted Cox regressions were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR). Results We included 32,380 patients with AF in NOAC treatment, where 16.8% were men living alone (median age 72 years), 25.8% were women living alone (median age 79 years), 37.2% were men living with a partner (median age 70 years), and 20.2% were women living with a partner (median age 79 years). Absolute two-year risk of NOAC discontinuation was highest among men living alone (Cumulative Incidence (CI) 0.19; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.20), followed by men living with a partner (CI 0.18; 0.17 to 0.19), women living with a partner (CI 0.16; 0.15 to 0.17), and women living alone (CI 0.13; 0.12 to 0.14). After adjustment, living alone was associated with an increased risk of NOAC discontinuation among men (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.26), but not among women (HR 1.04, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.15, interaction p=0.32). In an analysis evaluating gender, we found that being male was associated with a significantly higher risk of NOAC-discontinuation (HR 1.18, CI: 1.10 to 1.25) compared to women. Results were similar when we used 60 days discontinuation instead of 30 days discontinuation as outcome. Conclusion Gender and cohabitant status was significantly associated with risk of NOAC discontinuation. Male gender and living alone was associated with a higher risk of NOAC discontinuation among patients with AF in a nationwide population. Adjusted relative two-year risks Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


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