Oral Anticoagulant Utilization in the United States and United Kingdom

Excerpt

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are used for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and for thromboprophylaxis in adults with atrial fibrillation (AF).^{1, 2} For adults with AF, DOACs are the recommended treatment over warfarin.^{1, 2} Data from network meta-analyses and observational studies suggest that, compared with other DOACs, apixaban has similar effectiveness and perhaps the lowest risk of major bleeding.^{1, 3} This finding has not been confirmed by a randomized clinical trial, and it is unknown how the existing level of evidence has influenced prescribing patterns. The objective of our study was to evaluate trends in oral anticoagulant use in routine care in the United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK). …