Evolving oral anticoagulation patterns in patients with known AF during a hospitalization

What is it about?

How are the anticoagulation schemes of patients with known AF and an absolute indication for OAC treatment altered during a hospitalization for cardiac reasons? What is the share of VKAs and NOACs among anticoagulated patients pre- and post-hospitalization? How many patients switch between OACs or newly initiate OAC at discharge? Why do some patients discontinue OAC or remain under no OAC treatmnent? Are there any epidemiologic parameters predictive of changes in the patients' OAC regimens? The above questions are addressed by a cross-sectional analysis of the largest database of AF patients in Greece, which assessed more than 200 epidemiologic parameters of circa 1200 patients followed during hospitalization and beyond.

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Why is it important?

Our findings show that a hospitalization conferred a collateral benefit for patients with AF and a strong indication for OAC treatment. It was associated with an improvement in the overall OAC coverage rate and with switching of some patients to the more effective and safer newer drug class, NOACs. Hospitalization and related epidemiologic parameters seem to be the driving force behind shaping and refining the OAC treatment of patients, even in the setting of a prior history of AF. Indeed, 3 out of 10 patients got discharged on a different OAC regimen compared to pre-hospitalization.

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