scholarly journals Understanding the barriers to using oral anticoagulants among long-term aspirin users with atrial fibrillation – A qualitative study 

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa WS Ng ◽  
Chung-Wah Siu ◽  
Patrick KC Chiu ◽  
Carolyn PL Kng ◽  
Elizabeth Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Prevention Therapy

Abstract Background: Despite international treatment guidelines currently advocating oral anticoagulants (OACs) as the only appropriate stroke prevention therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and evidence that OACs can greatly reduce the risk of stroke with similar risk of bleeding compared with aspirin, the underuse of OACs in patients with AF is common globally, especially in Asia. This study aimed to identify the barriers to prescribing and using OACs among long-term aspirin users with AF.Method: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with fourteen eligible patients with AF using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis.Results: Five themes were developed: awareness of AF symptoms and diagnosis; knowledge and understanding of AF and stroke prevention therapy; role of decision-making in prescribing; willingness to switch from aspirin to OACs; and impact of OAC regimen on daily living. The majority of the patients were not aware of the symptoms and diagnosis of AF and only had a vague understanding of the illness and stroke prevention therapy, leading to their minimal involvement in decisions relating to their treatment. Some patients and their caregivers were particularly concerned about the bleeding complications from OACs and perceived aspirin to be a suitable alternative as they find the adverse effects from aspirin manageable and so preferred to remain on aspirin if switching to OACs was not compulsory. Lastly, the lifestyle modifications required when using warfarin, e.g. alternative dosing regimen, diet restriction, were seen as barriers to some patients and caregivers. Conclusion: The findings revealed patients’ knowledge gap in AF management which may be targeted using educational interventions to improve patients’ understanding of AF and its management and hence encourage active participation in the decision-making of their treatment in the future.

scholarly journals Understanding the barriers to using oral anticoagulants among long-term aspirin users with atrial fibrillation – A qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa WS Ng ◽  
Chung-Wah Siu ◽  
Patrick KC Chiu ◽  
Carolyn PL Kng ◽  
Elizabeth Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Prevention Therapy

Abstract Background: Despite international treatment guidelines currently advocating oral anticoagulants (OACs) as the only appropriate stroke prevention therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and evidence that OACs can greatly reduce the risk of stroke with similar risk of bleeding compared with aspirin, the underuse of OACs in patients with AF is common globally, especially in Asia. This study aimed to identify the barriers to prescribing and using OACs among long-term aspirin users with AF.Method: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with fourteen eligible patients with AF using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis.Results: Five themes were developed: awareness of AF symptoms and diagnosis; knowledge and understanding of AF and stroke prevention therapy; role of decision-making in prescribing; willingness to switch from aspirin to OACs; and impact of OAC regimen on daily living. The majority of the patients were not aware of the symptoms and diagnosis of AF and only had a vague understanding of the illness and stroke prevention therapy, leading to their minimal involvement in decisions relating to their treatment. Some patients and their caregivers were particularly concerned about the bleeding complications from OACs and perceived aspirin to be a suitable alternative as they find the adverse effects from aspirin manageable and so preferred to remain on aspirin if switching to OACs was not compulsory. Lastly, the lifestyle modifications required when using warfarin, e.g. alternative dosing regimen, diet restriction, were seen as barriers to some patients and caregivers.Conclusion: The findings revealed patients’ knowledge gap in AF management which may be targeted using educational interventions to improve patients’ understanding of AF and its management and hence encourage active participation in the decision-making of their treatment in the future.

scholarly journals Understanding the Barriers to Using Oral Anticoagulants Among Long-Term Aspirin Users With Atrial Fibrillation – A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa WS Ng ◽  
Chung-Wah Siu ◽  
Patrick KC Chiu ◽  
Carolyn PL Kng ◽  
Elizabeth Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Prevention Therapy

Abstract Background: Despite international treatment guidelines currently advocating oral anticoagulants (OACs) as the only appropriate stroke prevention therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and evidence that OACs can greatly reduce the risk of stroke with similar risk of bleeding compared with aspirin, the underuse of OACs in patients with AF is common globally, especially in Asia. This study aimed to identify the barriers to prescribing and using OACs among long-term aspirin users with AF.Method: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with fourteen eligible patients with AF using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis.Results: Five themes were developed: awareness of AF symptoms and diagnosis; knowledge and understanding of AF and stroke prevention therapy; role of decision-making in prescribing; willingness to switch from aspirin to OACs; and impact of OAC regimen on daily living. The majority of the patients were not aware of the symptoms and diagnosis of AF and only had a vague understanding of the illness and stroke prevention therapy, leading to their minimal involvement in decisions relating to their treatment. Some patients and their caregivers were particularly concerned about the bleeding complications from OACs and perceived aspirin to be a suitable alternative as they find the adverse effects from aspirin manageable and so preferred to remain on aspirin if switching to OACs was not compulsory. Lastly, the lifestyle modifications required when using warfarin, e.g. alternative dosing regimen, diet restriction, were seen as barriers to some patients and caregivers. Conclusion: The findings revealed patients’ knowledge gap in AF management which may be targeted using educational interventions to improve patients’ understanding of AF and its management and hence encourage active participation in the decision-making of their treatment in the future.

scholarly journals Understanding the barriers to using oral anticoagulants among long-term aspirin users with atrial fibrillation – a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa W. S. Ng ◽  
Chung-Wah Siu ◽  
Patrick K. C. Chiu ◽  
Carolyn P. L. Kng ◽  
Elizabeth Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Prevention Therapy

Abstract Background Despite international treatment guidelines currently advocating oral anticoagulants (OACs) as the only appropriate stroke prevention therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and evidence that OACs can greatly reduce the risk of stroke with similar risk of bleeding compared with aspirin, the underuse of OACs in patients with AF is common globally, especially in Asia. This study aimed to identify the barriers to prescribing and using OACs among long-term aspirin users with AF. Method Face-to-face interviews were conducted with fourteen eligible patients with AF using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed according to the principles of thematic analysis. Results Five themes were developed: awareness of AF symptoms and diagnosis; knowledge and understanding of AF and stroke prevention therapy; role of decision-making in prescribing; willingness to switch from aspirin to OACs; and impact of OAC regimen on daily living. The majority of the patients were not aware of the symptoms and diagnosis of AF and only had a vague understanding of the illness and stroke prevention therapy, leading to their minimal involvement in decisions relating to their treatment. Some patients and their caregivers were particularly concerned about the bleeding complications from OACs and perceived aspirin to be a suitable alternative as they find the adverse effects from aspirin manageable and so preferred to remain on aspirin if switching to OACs was not compulsory. Lastly, the lifestyle modifications required when using warfarin, e.g. alternative dosing regimen, diet restriction, were seen as barriers to some patients and caregivers. Conclusion The findings revealed patients’ knowledge gap in AF management which may be targeted using educational interventions to improve patients’ understanding of AF and its management and hence encourage active participation in the decision-making of their treatment in the future.

scholarly journals Comparing stroke prevention therapy of direct oral anticoagulants and vitamin K antagonists in patients with atrial fibrillation: a nationwide retrospective observational study

BMC Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena M. Paschke ◽  
Kerstin Klimke ◽  
Attila Altiner ◽  
Dominik von Stillfried ◽  
Maike Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Ambulatory Care ◽  
Vitamin K ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Prevention Therapy ◽  
Risk For Bleeding

Abstract Background Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are not only increasingly being used for the initial stroke prevention therapy but progressively also substitute vitamin K antagonist (VKA) treatment in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). DOACs have been compared regarding therapeutic efficacy and adverse outcomes to warfarin in several pivotal studies and showed non-inferiority in terms of stroke prevention and superiority in terms of bleeding complications. However, comprehensive comparative studies are lacking for phenprocoumon, a VKA prescribed frequently outside the USA and the UK and accounting for 99% of all VKA prescriptions in Germany. Patients treated with phenprocoumon seem to meet more often international normalized ratio values in the therapeutic range, which may have implications concerning their efficacy and safety. This study aims at comparing the risk of stroke and bleeding in phenprocoumon- and DOAC-treated patients with AF in an adequately powered observational study population. Methods Retrospective analysis of stroke and bleeding incidence of 837,430 patients (1.27 million patient years) treated with DOAC or phenprocoumon for stroke prevention in German ambulatory care between 2010 and 2017. Relative risks of stroke and bleeding were estimated by calculating cox regression-derived hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of propensity score-matched cohorts. Results Patients treated with DOAC had an overall higher risk for stroke (HR 1.32; CI 1.29–1.35) and a lower risk for bleeding (0.89; 0.88–0.90) compared to phenprocoumon. When analyzed separately, the risk for stroke was higher for dabigatran (1.93; 1.82–2.03), apixaban (1.52; 1.46–1.58), and rivaroxaban (1.13; 1.10–1.17) but not for edoxaban (0.88; 0.74–1.05). The risk for bleeding was lower for dabigatran (0.85; 0.83–0.88), apixaban (0.71; 0.70–0.73), and edoxaban (0.74; 0.68–0.81) but not for rivaroxaban (1.03; 1.01–1.04). Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive view of the stroke and bleeding risks associated with phenprocoumon and DOAC use in Germany. Phenprocoumon may be preferable to DOAC treatment for the prevention of strokes in AF in a real-world population cared for in ambulatory care.

scholarly journals Optimal Anticoagulation Strategy for Cardioversion in Atrial Fibrillation

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Bushoven ◽  
Sven Linzbach ◽  
Mate Vamos ◽  
Stefan H Hohnloser ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Vitamin K ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Vitamin K Antagonists ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Prospective Trial ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Pharmacological Cardioversion

For many patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation, cardioversion is performed to restore sinus rhythm and relieve symptoms. Cardioversion carries a distinct risk for thromboembolism which has been described to be in the order of magnitude of 1 to 3 %. For almost five decades, vitamin K antagonist therapy has been the mainstay of therapy to prevent thromboembolism around the time of cardioversion although not a single prospective trial has formally established its efficacy and safety. Currently, three new direct oral anticoagulants are approved for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. For all three, there are data regarding its usefulness during the time of electrical or pharmacological cardioversion. Due to the ease of handling, their efficacy regarding stroke prevention, and their safety with respect to bleeding complications, the new direct oral anticoagulants are endorsed as the preferred therapy over vitamin K antagonists for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation including the clinical setting of elective cardioversion.

scholarly journals Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (24) ◽  
pp. 2371-2388
Author(s):  
Aristeidis H Katsanos ◽  
Hooman Kamel ◽  
Jeff S. Healey ◽  
Robert G. Hart
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Vitamin K ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Oral Anticoagulant ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Vitamin K Antagonist ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Secondary Stroke Prevention

Ischemic strokes related to atrial fibrillation are highly prevalent, presenting with severe neurologic syndromes and associated with high risk of recurrence. Although advances have been made in both primary and secondary stroke prevention for patients with atrial fibrillation, the long-term risks for stroke recurrence and bleeding complications from antithrombotic treatment remain substantial. We summarize the major advances in stroke prevention for patients with atrial fibrillation during the past 30 years and focus on novel diagnostic and treatment approaches currently under investigation in ongoing clinical trials. Non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants have been proven to be safer and equally effective compared with warfarin in stroke prevention for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are being investigated for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation and rheumatic heart disease, for the treatment of patients with recent embolic stroke of undetermined source and indirect evidence of cardiac embolism, and in the prevention of vascular-mediated cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation. Multiple clinical trials are assessing the optimal timing of non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant initiation after a recent ischemic stroke and the benefit:harm ratio of non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation and history of previous intracranial bleeding. Ongoing trials are addressing the usefulness of left atrial appendage occlusion in both primary and secondary stroke prevention for patients with atrial fibrillation, including those with high risk of bleeding. The additive value of prolonged cardiac monitoring for subclinical atrial fibrillation detection through smartphone applications or implantable cardiac devices, together with the optimal medical management of individuals with covert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, is a topic of intensive research interest. Colchicine treatment and factor XIa inhibition constitute 2 novel pharmacologic approaches that might provide future treatment options in the secondary prevention of cardioembolic stroke attributable to atrial fibrillation.

scholarly journals Exploring patient–provider decision-making for use of anticoagulation for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Results of the INFORM-AF study

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 280-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean D Pokorney ◽  
Diane Bloom ◽  
Christopher B Granger ◽  
Kevin L Thomas ◽  
Sana M Al-Khatib ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Decision Aids ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Bleeding Risk ◽  
Decisional Conflict ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Outpatient Settings ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background: Atrial fibrillation is associated with stroke, yet approximately 50% of patients are not treated with guideline-directed oral anticoagulants (OACs). Aims: Given that the etiology of this gap in care is not well understood, we explored decision-making by patients and physicians regarding OAC use for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Methods and results: We conducted a descriptive qualitative study among providers ( N=28) and their patients with atrial fibrillation for whom OACs were indicated ( N=25). We used purposive sampling across three outpatient settings in which atrial fibrillation patients are commonly managed: primary care ( n=14), geriatrics ( n=10), and cardiology ( n=4). Eligible patients were stratified by those prescribed OAC ( n=13) and not prescribed OAC ( n=12). Semi-structured, in-depth interviews assessed decision-making regarding risk and OAC use. Classical content analysis was used to code narratives and identify themes. Results among patients consisted of the overarching theme of trust in provider recommendations. Sub-themes included: awareness of increased risk of stroke with atrial fibrillation; willingness to accept medications recommended by their physician; and low demand for explanatory decision aids. Among physicians, the overarching theme was decisional conflict regarding the balance between stroke and bleeding risk, and the optimal medication to prescribe. Subthemes included: absence of decision aids for communication; and misperceptions around the assessment and management of stroke risk with atrial fibrillation. Conclusions: Patient involvement in decision-making around OAC use did not occur in this study of patients with atrial fibrillation. Improved access to decision aids may increase patient engagement in the decision-making process of OAC use for stroke prevention.

Thrombosis pathways and therapeutic strategies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moataz Dowaidar
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Coagulation Cascade ◽  
Bleeding Complications ◽  
Common Side Effect ◽  
Complex Disorders ◽  
Risk Of Bleeding

Thrombosis is the world's leading cause of death, accounting for one of everyfour deaths. Atrial fibrillation is responsible for around a tenth of all ischaemicstrokes (AF) Antiplatelet drugs are the cornerstone of AT treatment andprevention. Long-term use of aspirin and clopidogrel has little advantage overeither agent alone in terms of stroke prevention. It does, however, significantlyraise the risk of bleeding complications. Direct oral anticoagulants are at least aseffective as warfarin in reducing stroke. Return to the tab on which you arrived.Bleeding is the most common side effect of all commercially approvedantiplatelet drugs. Thrombin, thrombine, and thromboembolism are also bloodclotting proteins that are deficient in certain patients to differing degrees.Thrombin is a platelet activator that plays a role in platelet-coagulation pathwaycrosstalk. All coagulated factors, with the exception of FXII, are required forhaemostasis. Extrinsic and typical pathway components are required byhaemostases. The key protease in the coagulation cascade is thrombin. Since thehaemostatic plugs have sealed the wound, the fibrinolytic system separates themfrom the vasculature. Nanomedicine has elegantly attempted to cure differentgene polymorphisms and mutations in complex disorders using gene therapyapproaches.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document