New oral anticoagulants vs vitamin K antagonists: benefits for health-related quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

Int J Med Sci. 2014 May 1;11(7):680-4. doi: 10.7150/ijms.8916. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

New oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have demonstrated their efficacy as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in the prophylaxis of cardioembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, evidence on the benefits of NOAC in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lacking.We evaluated changes in HRQoL related to oral anticoagulation therapy employing a specific questionnaire in a cohort of 416 patients with AF undergoing electrical cardioversion. In terms of HRQoL, we observed a progressive adaptation to treatment with VKA; satisfaction with NOAC remained constant. Older age, higher left ventricular ejection fraction and NOAC were associated with better HRQoL.

Keywords: dabigatran; health-related quality of life; new oral anticoagulants; ribaroxaban.; vitamin K antagonists.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / administration & dosage*
  • Anticoagulants / adverse effects
  • Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / pathology
  • Benzimidazoles / administration & dosage
  • Benzimidazoles / adverse effects
  • Dabigatran
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / pathology
  • Vitamin K / administration & dosage*
  • Vitamin K / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta-Alanine / administration & dosage
  • beta-Alanine / adverse effects
  • beta-Alanine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Benzimidazoles
  • beta-Alanine
  • Vitamin K
  • Dabigatran