Oral Anticoagulants - Utilisation and Expenditure under the Community Drugs Schemes

Aims This study determined the impact of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) on the utilisation and expenditure on oral anticoagulants (OACs) in the Irish Community healthcare setting. We also investigated aspects of DOAC prescribing. Methods Using anonymised prescription data from the HSE pharmacy claims database we investigated anticoagulant prescribing over the study period (1/1/2014 - 31/12/2018). Results Some 74,748 patients were being treated with OACs by the year end 2018 an increase of 30,319 over 5 years. Warfarin prescribing fell from 32,751 patients in 2014 to 16,166 by the year end 2018. Apixaban is the most frequently prescribed OAC and annual expenditure on DOACs now exceeds € 51 million. Patients treated with DOACs are older than participants in the pivotal clinical trials and are frequently co-administered interacting drugs. Conclusion The introduction of DOACs has resulted in an overall increase in anticoagulant prescribing, a significant reduction in warfarin usage and a large increase in expenditure.