scholarly journals Anticoagulation therapy and the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in the elderly

Author(s):  
Zeki Öngen
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Frank Bernard Ebai ◽  
Azam Mohiuddin

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia. Generally, the treatment goals for atrial fibrillation are to reset the rhythm or control the rate and prevent the development and subsequent embolization of atrial thrombi. These thromboembolic events can occur with any kind of atrial fibrillation that is paroxysmal, persistent or permanent. In patients who are candidate for anticoagulation therapy, major practice guideline provides vitamin K antagonist (VKA) oral anticoagulant and non-VKA oral anticoagulants as treatment options. The risk of AF increases with age and despite treatment on standard of care anticoagulation therapy, recrudescent cardioembolic events may still arise especially in the elderly as we will see in this case.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1a
Author(s):  
Peter Kelly ◽  
Carlos Molina ◽  
Christian T. Ruff ◽  
Roland Veltkamp ◽  
◽  
...  

The rising incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly resulting in a substantial worldwide increase in AF-related stroke, particularly in elderly patients and this is creating an increasingly serious healthcare burden. Guidelines recommend the use of AF-related stroke prophylaxis but adherence to these remains poor. Studies conducted in the 1990s showed that warfarin reduced the risk of AF-related stroke by an overall 64% compared with placebo. Subsequently, prophylactic treatment was further improved with the development of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). More recently, a meta-analysis of four large clinical trials on NOACs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban) showed there was a relative risk reduction of 0.81 (p<0.0001) favouring NOAC treatment over warfarin for stroke or systemic embolic events in patients with AF. The largest trial of NOACs in AF-related stroke, to date, was the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 study (n=21,105) which showed that edoxaban was non-inferior to warfarin for ischaemic stroke reduction but significantly reduced bleeding and cardiovascular mortality. A recent subgroup analysis of this study showed that with edoxaban the incidences of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) subtypes (all ICH, fatal ICH, fatal, subdural and epidural bleed) were significantly lower with 60 mg of edoxaban (p=0.013–<0.001). Edoxaban was also shown to be an effective option in patients with prior stroke. In addition, edoxaban was shown to reduce deaths due to fatal bleeds compared with warfarin. The results of current studies, especially the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 subgroup analysis therefore, show that the benefits of anticoagulation therapy in patients with AF substantially outweigh the risks.


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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Hosokawa ◽  
K Abe ◽  
H Tsutsui

Abstract Background/Introduction Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) requires a lifelong anticoagulation therapy. However, the efficacy or safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have not been established in CTEPH. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the effects of NOACs on the changes in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and their adverse events such as bleeding and clinical worsening in CTEPH. Methods We retrospectively compared the changes in PVR among CTEPH patients taking vitamin-K antagonists (VKA) (n=38) and those taking NOACs (n=46) to evaluate the effectiveness of NOACs for the prophylaxis of thrombotic disease progression in CTEPH. Also, we extracted incidence of clinically relevant bleeding and clinical worsening in CTEPH as an exploratory outcome measures. Clinical worsening in CTEPH was defined as composite outcome of death from any cause, lung transplantation and worsening pulmonary hypertension that resulted in hospitalization, addition of specific drug for pulmonary hypertension, or rescue pulmonary endarterectomy or balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Clinically relevant bleeding was defined as composite major bleeding and/or clinically relevant non-major bleeding, which is defined as bleeding associated with the need for medical intervention, contact with a physician, interruption of anticoagulation therapy, discomfort or impairment of activities of daily life. Results The changes in PVR (VKA group; −0.17±0.82 woods unit/year, NOACs group; −0.44±0.89 woods unit/year, p=0.32) were comparable between VKA and NOACs groups. The incidence of clinical worsening in CTEPH (VKA group; 1.8% per patient-year, NOACs group; 0% per patient-year) and clinically relevant bleeding (VKA group; 2.8% per patient-year, NOACs group; 2.8% per patient-year) was comparable between the VKA and NOACs groups. D-dimer levels (VKA group; 0.58±0.22 μg/ml, NOACs group; 0.67±0.47 μg/ml, p=0.41) were also comparable between the groups. Conclusions Our study revealed that NOACs had a similar effectiveness in the prevention of thrombotic disease progression in CTEPH as compared with VKA. The result suggest that NOACs might have similar efficacy and safety as VKA in daily clinical practice. Acknowledgement/Funding Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Vetta ◽  
Gabriella Locorotondo ◽  
Giampaolo Vetta

Prevalence of non-valvular atrial fibrillation is increasing over time. Particularly in elderly population, treatment strategies to reduce the rate of stroke are challenging and still represent an unsolved cultural question. Indeed, the risk of thromboembolism increases in the elderly in parallel with the risk of bleeding. The frequent coexistence of several morbidities, frailty syndrome, polypharmacy, chronic kidney disease and dementia strengthens the perception that risk-benefit ratio of anticoagulant therapy could be unfavorable, and explains why such treatment is underused in the elderly. Recently, the introduction of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) has allowed us to overcome the large number of limitations imposed by the use of vitamin K antagonists. In this manuscript, the benefits of individual NOACs in comparison with warfarin in elderly patients are reviewed. Targeted studies on complex elderly patients are needed to test usefulness of a geriatric comprehensive assessment, besides the scores addressing risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events. In the meantime, it is mandatory that use of anticoagulant therapy in most elderly people, currently excluded from randomized controlled trials, is prudent and responsible.


Author(s):  
A. CAPIAU ◽  
M. GRYMONPREZ ◽  
T. DE BACKER ◽  
S. GEVAERT ◽  
K. BOUSSERY ◽  
...  

Atrial fibrillation and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants: from clinical trials to real-world clinical practice. For decades, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were the only oral anticoagulants available for the prevention of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Since 2012, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are available for this indication, which have proven to be at least as effective and safe as VKAs in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). NOACs have additional benefits, such as a fast onset of action, a fixed-dose regimen without requiring regular monitoring, less interactions and less intracranial bleeding. Their emergence has caused a paradigm shift in anticoagulation therapy, with NOACs being the anticoagulant of choice compared to VKAs. Since strict in- and exclusion criteria were used in the pivotal RCTs, concerns have risen regarding the generalizability of these results to real-life clinical practice in patients with multiple comorbidities. In this manuscript, this extrapolation is discussed, focusing on 4 different topics regarding appropriate NOAC use: the management of AF patients with a single stroke risk factor, the importance of an optimal therapy adherence, potential drug-drug interactions with NOACs and addressing a geriatric AF patient after a fall. Hopefully, this manuscript will help guide clinicians in the optimal use of NOACs in their daily clinical practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 208 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie W Bellinge ◽  
Jarrad J Paul ◽  
Liam S Walsh ◽  
Lokesh Garg ◽  
Gerald F Watts ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Sophie Dincq ◽  
Sarah Lessire ◽  
Jonathan Douxfils ◽  
Jean-Michel Dogné ◽  
Maximilien Gourdin ◽  
...  

The field of oral anticoagulation has evolved with the arrival of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) including an anti-IIa agent (dabigatran etexilate) and anti-Xa agents (rivaroxaban and apixaban). The main specificities of these drugs are predictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics but special attention should be paid in the elderly, in case of renal dysfunction and in case of emergency. In addition, their perioperative management is challenging, especially with the absence of specific antidotes. Effectively, periods of interruption before surgery or invasive procedures depend on half-life and keeping a permanent balance between bleeding and thromboembolic risks. In addition, few data regarding the link between plasma concentrations and their effects are provided. Routine laboratory tests are altered by NOACs and quantitative measurements are not widely performed. This paper provides a review on the management of NOACs in the perioperative setting, including the estimation of the bleeding and thrombotic risk, the periods of interruption, the indication of heparin bridging, the usefulness of laboratory tests before surgery or invasive procedure, and the time of resuming. Most data are based on expert’s opinions.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e026645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Géric Maura ◽  
Cécile Billionnet ◽  
Jérôme Drouin ◽  
Alain Weill ◽  
Anke Neumann ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo describe (i) the trend in oral anticoagulant (OAC) use following the introduction of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and (ii) the current patterns of use of NOAC therapy in new users with AF in France.Design(i) Repeated cross-sectional study and (ii) population-based cohort study.SettingFrench national healthcare databases (50 million beneficiaries).Participants(i) Patients with identified AF in 2011, 2013 and 2016 and (ii) patients with AF initiating OAC therapy in 2015–2016.Primary and secondary outcome measures(i) Trend in OAC therapy use in patients with AF and (ii) patterns of use of NOAC therapy in new users with AF.ResultsBetween 2011 and 2016, use of OAC therapy moderately increased (+16%), while use of antiplatelet therapy decreased (−22%) among all patients with identified AF. In 2016, among the 1.1 million AF patients, 66% used OAC therapy and were more likely to be treated by vitamin K antagonist (VKA) than NOAC therapy, including patients at higher risk of stroke (63.5%), while 33% used antiplatelet therapy. Among 192 851 new users of OAC therapy in 2015–2016 with identified AF, NOAC therapy (66.3%) was initiated more frequently than VKA therapy, including in patients at higher risk of stroke (57.8%). Reduced doses were prescribed in 40% of NOAC new users. Several situations of inappropriate use at NOAC initiation were identified, including concomitant use of drugs increasing the risk of bleeding (one in three new users) and potential NOAC underdosing.ConclusionsOAC therapy use in patients with AF remains suboptimal 4 years after the introduction of NOACs for stroke prevention in France and improvement in appropriate prescribing regarding NOAC initiation is needed. However, NOAC therapy is now the preferred drug class for initiation of OAC therapy in patients with AF, including in patients at higher risk of stroke.


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