Persistence and adherence to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation across five Western European countries.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

To assess persistence and adherence to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in five Western European healthcare settings.

Methods and results

We conducted a multi-country observational cohort study, including 559 445 AF patients initiating NOAC therapy from Stockholm (Sweden), Denmark, Scotland, Norway, and Germany between 2011 and 2018. Patients were followed from their first prescription until they switched to a vitamin K antagonist, emigrated, died, or the end of follow-up. We measured persistence and adherence over time and defined adequate adherence as medication possession rate ≥90% among persistent patients only.

Results

Overall, persistence declined to 82% after 1 year and to 63% after 5 ye

SUBMITTER: Komen JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8576279 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature