Antithrombotic treatment switching in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and the risk of thromboembolism, bleeding, and cardiac death. Issue 7 (25th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ehrlinder, Hanne; Orsini, Nicola; Modig, Karin; Wallén, Håkan; Gigante, Bruna
• Is Part Of: Research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis. Volume 6:Issue 7(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-10-25
• Subjects: aged -- anticoagulants -- atrial fibrillation -- multimorbidity -- treatment switching; Thrombosis -- Periodicals; Hemostasis -- Periodicals; 616.135005
• DOI: 10.1002/rth2.12823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2475-0379

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Risks of antithrombotic switching is not investigated in elderly atrial fibrillation patients. Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of antithrombotic treatment and switching of antithrombotic treatment in elderly patients (aged 75 years or older) with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We conducted a cohort study of 2943 patients with AF (Carrebean‐elderly), hospitalized during 2010–2017. Cox models were used to estimate the association of antithrombotic treatment (warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants [DOAC] and non–guideline‐recommended therapy [NG], i.e., aspirin and low‐molecular‐weight heparin) at discharge and antithrombotic treatment switching during follow‐up with the risk of a composite and single end points of thromboembolism, bleeding, and cardiac death. Crude and adjusted risk estimates were expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All‐cause death was evaluated, with competing risk regression and estimates expressed as subhazard ratios and 95% CIs. Results: We observed an increased risk for the composite end point associated with NG as compared to warfarin at discharge (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01–1.38) with congruent competing risk regression results, while no significant risk difference was seen for DOACs compared to warfarin (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.92–1.36). Switching from NG to warfarin/DOAC and from warfarin to DOAC occurred in 30.4% and 33.1% of respective antithrombotic treatment groups at discharge and was associated with a decreased risk for the composite end point with an adjusted HR of 0.45 (95% CI, 0.32–0.63) and a HR of 0.50 (95% CI, 0.38–0.65), respectively. Conclusions: Antithrombotic treatment switching is common in the elderly AF population. Importantly, switching to guideline‐recommended treatment has a favorable impact on both effectiveness and safety.