Abstract
Patients on long-term anticoagulation combined with antiplatelet therapy have an increased risk of bleeding compared to patients on anticoagulation alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of antiplatelet therapy in patients who are on long-term warfarin therapy and are managed by Brigham and Women’s Hospital Anticoagulation Management Service (BWH AMS). This was a single-center, prospective chart review of patients managed by BWH AMS who were on long-term warfarin therapy plus full-dose aspirin (325 mg), an oral P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor) and/or acetylsalicylic acid/dipyridamole. Patients’ cardiovascular (CV) benefit and risk of bleeding were assessed according to clinical guidelines. The major objective of the study was to determine the proportion of patients on dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) or triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) whose risk of bleeding outweighed CV benefit. Of the 2677 patients evaluated for inclusion,145 were on concomitant long-term warfarin therapy plus aspirin (325 mg), an oral P2Y12 inhibitor and/or acetylsalicylic acid/dipyridamole. A total of 85 patients (58.6%) had no clear indication for DAT or TAT per guideline recommendations and were categorized as bleeding risk outweighing CV benefit. The remaining 60 patients (41.4%) had an appropriate indication for DAT or TAT per guidelines and were categorized as CV benefit outweighing bleeding risk. BWH AMS pharmacists made 33 (22.9%) recommendations to providers to discontinue or de-escalate antiplatelet therapy. Interventions were accepted for 10 (30.3%) patients. Pharmacist involvement in the management of patients’ antithrombotic regimens can optimize guideline-directed medical therapy and mitigate the potential risk of bleeding.
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Acknowledgements
Results of this trial were presented at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Eastern States Conference, Hershey PA: 2019 as a short platform presentation. A methods poster was presented at the Vizient University Health System Consortium Anaheim, CA: 2018.
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This prospective chart review study involving human participants was in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee. The Partners Healthcare Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved this study.
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Zekery-Saad, S.A., Lewin, A., Pham, M. et al. Evaluation and optimization of prescribed concomitant antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy centrally managed by an anticoagulation management service. J Thromb Thrombolysis 51, 405–412 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-020-02207-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-020-02207-3