Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and PracticePatients’ Views and Experiences on the Use and Safety of Directly Acting Oral Anticoagulants: A Qualitative Study

Unraveling Patient Perspectives on DOAC Safety: Key Findings and Implications for Healthcare Practice

A recent study that delves into the complex interactions of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) usage offers insightful information about patient experiences and suggests ways to increase patients’ safety and adherence.

• DOACs are extensively prescribed for stroke and thromboembolism prevention, particularly in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), a condition prevalent in 1 in 3 white individuals and 1 in 5 black individuals over 50​.
• Despite their widespread use, DOACs are high-risk medications, with one study showing 20% of DOAC patients experiencing some sort of prescribing error​.
• The study, carried out through in-depth interviews with adult patients across tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia, identified three main themes: factors affecting DOAC’s safety, barriers to adherence, and strategies to promote DOAC safety​​.
• Key factors impacting DOAC safety included a lack of patient knowledge, improper information sources, insufficient communication with healthcare professionals, accessibility issues, and inadequate monitoring​.
• Barriers to adherence primarily stemmed from drug unavailability and difficulty in timely hospital visits​.
• The research stresses the importance of developing theory-based interventions to enhance patient knowledge, shared decision-making, and thereby optimize DOAC usage and safety​.
• Incorporating clinical pharmacists into the clinical team and strengthening patient-healthcare professional communication are among the suggested strategies to mitigate DOAC-related errors​.