Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with high risk of systemic thromboembolism leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Warfarin, previously the mainstay for stroke prevention in AF, requires close monitoring because of multiple food and drug interactions. In recent years, food and drug administration has approved several direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for use in patients with nonvalvular AF. These agents have not been studied in patients with valvular AF who are at an even higher risk of systemic thromboembolism. DOACs do not require frequent blood testing or changes in dosage except when renal function deteriorates, however, the lack of established antidotes for many of these agents remains a challenge. Also, currently there is no head-to-head comparison between these agents to guide clinical choice. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of currently approved oral antithrombotics in nonvalvular AF, with a special emphasis on the DOACs and their individual characteristics.

Yes / Health Services Research and Pharmacy Practice Conference Abstracts: Partnerships in Healthcare: Advancing Sustainable Medicines Optimisation 17–18 April 2023 University of Bradford.

Pendant plus de six décennies, les antivitamines K (AVK) ont été la seule classe d’anticoagulants oraux disponibles sur le marché. L’arrivée des Anticoagulants Oraux Directs (AOD) en 2008 a marqué un réel tournant dans l’anticoagulation par voie orale. La première partie de ce travail s’est intéressée aux caractéristiques des patients traités par anticoagulants, et les conséquences en termes d’hospitalisations pour évènement hémorragique ou ischémique. Au sein d’une cohorte de patients hospitalisés pour AVC (cohorte BIOSTROKE, Lille), aucun facteur d’influence particulier, intervenant sur la survenue et l’évolution (mortalité, de déclin cognitif, et de handicap à 3 mois) de l’AVC n’était mis en évidence. En parallèle, une étude menée dans le service d’urgences du Centre Hospitalier de Béthune sur 3 années (2012, 2014, 2016) pour suivre l’évolution des prescriptions d’anticoagulants oraux et observer l’impact de la mise sur le marché des AOD, montrait une population dont certaines caractéristiques semblaient être associées à une utilisation plus volontiers des AOD ou des AVK. Le nombre d’évènements hémorragiques et thrombotiques sous AVK restait cependant stable sur les trois périodes d’étude (770 patients inclus au total). Forts de ces données rassurantes, la deuxième partie de ce travail s’est intéressée aux pratiques de prescription et au bon usage des anticoagulants, avec un focus particulier sur les AOD, à travers trois études : la première réalisée auprès des médecins généralistes du Nord et du Pas de Calais qui montrait une population de prescripteurs plutôt méfiants envers les AOD et ayant une préférence pour les anti-Xa. Les deux autres études portaient sur le bon usage des AOD, à partir de prescriptions à l’officine (grâce à la participation des étudiants en pharmacie de la faculté de Lille en stage d’officine) et à l’hôpital (Centre Hospitalier Régional de Lille). Ces études retrouvaient globalement des chiffres de prescriptions d’AOD transposables aux données françaises, avec cependant des disparités ville/hôpital. En termes de bon usage, les prescriptions étaient pour moins d’un tiers d’entre elles non-conformes aux recommandations en vigueur, avec une forte proportion de situations de sous-dosages. En conclusion, ce travail de thèse a permis de mettre à jour des pistes de formation/information des professionnels de santé sur ces nouvelles molécules anticoagulantes qui vont participer à une prise en charge avisée et optimale des patients. / For over six decades, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were the only class of oral anticoagulants available on the market. The arrival of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOAs) in 2008 marked a real turning point in the oral anticoagulation. The first part of this work was interested in the characteristics of patients treated with anticoagulants and the consequences in terms of hospitalizations for ischemic or hemorrhagic events. In a cohort of patients hospitalized for stroke (cohort BIOSTROKE Lille), no particular influencer, on the onset and course (mortality, cognitive decline, and disability at 3 months) of stroke was highlighted. In parallel, a study conducted in the emergency department of the Hospital of Bethune on three years (2012, 2014, 2016) to observe oral anticoagulants prescriptions and the impact of DOAs arriving, showed a population where many characteristics appear to be associated with a more readily using DOAs or VKAs. The number of bleeding and thrombotic events with VKAs remained stable during the three study periods (in total 770 patients were included). With these reassuring data, the second part of this work has focused on prescribing practices and the appropriate use of anticoagulants, with a particular focus on DOAs, through three studies: one conducted among general practitioners of Nord and Pas de Calais departments, which showed a rather wary about DOAs but with a preference for anti-Xa. The other two studies focused on the appropriate use of DOAs, estimated from pharmacy (with the participation of pharmacy students of the Faculty of Lille) and hospital (Lille Regional Hospital Center) prescriptions. Data about DOAs prescriptions were transposable to French data, albeit with city / hospital disparities. Non-appropriate prescriptions were observed in less than one-third file, with a high proportion of under dosing situations. In conclusion, this work has allowed updating training tracks / information for health care professionals on these new anticoagulant molecules to improve information and optimal patients’ care.

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Yes / Introduction: Oral anticoagulant therapy choices for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) expanded in the last decade with the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). However, the implementation of DOACs was slow and varied across different health economies in England. There is limited evidence on the patient role in the uptake of new medicines, including DOACs, apart from considering their demographic and clinical characteristics. Hence, this study aimed to address the gap by exploring the view of patients with AF on factors affecting DOAC use. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted in three health economies in the North of England. Adult patients (>18 years) diagnosed with non-valvular AF, prescribed an oral anticoagulant (vitamin K antagonist or DOAC), and able to give written consent were recruited. Data were collected between August 2018 and April 2019. Audio recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the framework method. Results: Four themes with eleven subthemes discussed identified factors affecting the use of DOACs. They were linked to limited healthcare financial and workforce resources, patient involvement in decision-making, patient knowledge about DOACs, safety concerns about oral anticoagulants, and oral anticoagulant therapy impact on patients' daily lives. Lack of a) opportunities to voice patient preferences and b) information on available therapy options resulted in some patients experiencing difficulties with the prescribed therapy. This was reported to cause negative impact on their daily lives, adherence, and overall satisfaction with the therapy. Conclusion: Greater patient involvement in decision-making could prevent and resolve difficulties encountered by some patients and potentially improve outcomes plus increase the uptake of DOACs. / Pharmacy Research UK (PRUK-2018-GA-1-KM) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Yes / Objective: To better understand the factors influencing the uptake of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) across different health economies in National Health Service England from the perspective of health professionals and other health economy stakeholders. Design: Qualitative interview study using a critical realism perspective and informed by the Diffusion of Innovations in Service Organisations model. Setting: Three health economies in the North of England, United Kingdom. Participants: Healthcare professionals involved in the management of patients requiring oral anticoagulants, stakeholders involved in the implementation of DOACs and representatives of pharmaceutical industry companies and patient support groups. Intervention: Semistructured interviews (face-to-face or telephone) were conducted with 46 participants. Interviews were analysed using the Framework method. Results: Identified factors having an impact on the uptake of DOACs were grouped into four themes: perceived value of the innovation, clinician practice environment, local health economy readiness for change, and the external health service context. Together, these factors influenced what therapy options were offered and prescribed to patients with atrial fibrillation. The interviews also highlighted strategies used to improve or restrict the uptake of DOACs and tensions between providing patient-centred care and managing financial implications for commissioners. Conclusions: The findings contribute to the wider literature by providing a new and in-depth understanding on the uptake of DOACs. The findings may be applicable to other new medicines used in chronic health conditions. / This work presents research funded by the Pharmacy Research UK (grant number: PRUK-2018-GA-1-KM) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (grant number: N/A).

Yes / Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) uptake for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation has been slow.[1] This study aimed to profile the prescribing of DOACs over three years to identify factors associated with DOAC prescribing in a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) without restrictions to DOACs use. The objectives were to identify: - Characteristics of patients prescribed oral anticoagulant (OAC) in a sample of general practices; - Who initiated the prescribing of OAC; - Recorded reasons for prescribing a DOAC rather than warfarin;

Yes / Warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, yet many patients are still not being anticoagulated. This article discusses the barriers to the initiation of oral anticoagulants, in particular DOACs, and how these can be overcome.

Yes / Background and Objective In England, the uptake of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in atrial fbrillation has been slow and varied across diferent Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). This study aimed to profle the prescribing of oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fbrillation over 3 years in a CCG without restrictions to DOACs use to understand more about organisational and/or individual barriers to the early uptake of DOACs. Methods Data were collected from nine general practices between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2015 of patients who were initiated on the oral anticoagulant therapy. Data were analysed descriptively and with independent Student’s t test and Chi square test to explore if there was an association between type of oral anticoagulant initiated and sex, age, type of prescriber and prior aspirin use. Results The early uptake of DOACs signifcantly increased over the study period (p<0.0001; medium size efect φc=0.372). There was no statistically signifcant diference between sex or age and type of oral anticoagulant initiated. Primary-care prescribers were responsible for initiating the majority of oral anticoagulants (71%; N=257) and driving the use of DOACs (72%, N=71). Patients switched from aspirin to an oral anticoagulant were more likely to be initiated on warfarin than a DOAC. Conclusions The early use of DOACs, in a CCG without restrictions to their use, was embraced by primary-care prescribers in this particular CCG. / Bayer Pharmaceuticals via an unrestricted educational grant.

Implementation and uptake of novel and cost-effective medicines can improve patient health outcomes and healthcare efficiency. However, the relative uptake of new medicines recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence often lags behind other comparative countries’ health systems. One example is the uptake of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, which was slow and had a high level of unexplained variation across different health economies in England. This research aimed to explore barriers and enablers to the uptake of DOACs from the perspectives of patients, healthcare professionals, and key stakeholders by conducting systematic and narrative reviews and semi-structured interviews. Data collected from 21 patients, 23 healthcare professionals, and 23 key stakeholders recruited from three different health economies was analysed using the Framework method. The findings identified a range of intersecting factors acting as barriers and/or enablers to the uptake DOACs. While there were a wide range of experiences and views, an agreement between patients and healthcare professionals/key stakeholders on several identified factors was observed. Attributes of the innovation, characteristics of patients and prescribers, local health economy readiness for change, implementation process, and external health system context were suggested as influences. Mapping of the findings to the Diffusion of Innovations in Service Organisations model identified 11 components for a future toolkit development to facilitate uptake of nationally recommended new medicines. This thesis highlighted the role of patients, consideration of all costs associated with new medicines, and compatibility with the health economy’s care model impact on the uptake.