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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Direct Drug Delivery to Kidney via the Renal Artery
Published on: April 17, 2021
Insights
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) saw increased prescribing in English primary care from 2014 to 2019. This trend reflects evolving anticoagulant therapy choices in routine clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Primary Care Medicine
Background:
- Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) represent a significant advancement in anticoagulation therapy.
- Understanding prescribing trends is crucial for optimizing patient care and resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in DOAC prescribing within English primary care settings.
- To identify patterns and changes in the utilization of DOACs between 2014 and 2019.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of anonymized electronic health records from English primary care.
- Data extraction and statistical analysis of DOAC prescription data over a five-year period.
Main Results:
- A consistent upward trend in DOAC prescriptions was observed throughout the study period (2014-2019).
- The proportion of patients prescribed DOACs increased significantly, indicating a shift from traditional anticoagulants.
Conclusions:
- DOACs have become increasingly integrated into primary care anticoagulant management.
- These findings highlight the growing acceptance and utilization of DOACs in routine clinical practice for thromboprophylaxis and treatment.
Abstract:
Overview of: Joy M, Williams J, Emanuel S, et al Trends in direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) prescribing in English primary care (2014-2019). Heart 2022. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321377. [Epub ahead of print 9 Sept 2022].
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