Practical use of Direct Oral Anti Coagulants (DOACs) in the older persons with atrial fibrillation

Mario Bo; Niccolò Marchionni

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2019.10.026

Practical use of Direct Oral Anti Coagulants (DOACs) in the older persons with atrial fibrillation

Eur J Intern Med. 2020 Jan:71:32-38. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2019.10.026. Epub 2019 Nov 15.

Authors

Mario Bo¹, Niccolò Marchionni²

Affiliations

¹ Section of Geriatric, Department of Medical Sciences, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, Molinette, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: mario.bo@unito.it.
² University of Florence, Head, Division of General Cardiology, Director, Cardiothoracovascular Department, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.

PMID: 31740104
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2019.10.026

Abstract

Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) consistently demonstrated a greater net clinical benefit compared to Vitamin K Antagonists (VKAs) also in persons aged 75 years and over, who account for the largest proportion of AF patients; however, major uncertainties in DOACs prescription have to do with this age group. In this review, persistent uncertainties and implications of frailty and geriatric syndromes on DOACs prescription, and practical use of DOACs in real-world older persons, and will be discussed.

Keywords: Aged; Atrial fibrillation; Direct oral anticoagulants; Frail elderly.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Administration, Oral
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
Atrial Fibrillation* / drug therapy
Humans
Vitamin K / therapeutic use

Substances

Anticoagulants
Vitamin K