Table 2.
Patients' baseline characteristics, overall and by first drug prescribed
| DOAC (n = 5398) | Dabigatran (n = 1016) | Rivaroxaban (n = 3292) | Apixaban (n = 1090) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar year of first prescription (%) | ||||
| 2011 | 51 (0.9) | 51 (5.0) | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 911 (16.9) | 411 (40.5) | 500 (15.2) | 0 |
| 2013 | 2426 (44.9) | 405 (39.9) | 1624 (49.3) | 397 (36.4) |
| 2014 | 2010 (37.2) | 149 (14.7) | 1168 (35.5) | 693 (63.6) |
| Female (%) | 2472 (45.8) | 400 (39.4) | 1548 (47.0) | 524 (48.1) |
| Mean age first prescription (SD) | 74.4 (11.3) | 71.6 (11.8) | 75.3 (10.9) | 74.3 (11.5) |
| Patient age category at time of first prescription (%) | ||||
| <50 | 169 (3.1) | 44 (4.3) | 80 (2.4) | 45 (4.1) |
| 50‐64 | 763 (14.1) | 212 (20.9) | 407 (12.4) | 144 (13.2) |
| 65‐74 | 1453 (26.9) | 306 (30.1) | 862 (26.2) | 285 (26.1) |
| 75‐84 | 2007 (37.2) | 310 (30.5) | 1279 (38.9) | 418 (38.3) |
| 85+ | 1006 (18.6) | 144 (14.2) | 664 (20.2) | 198 (18.2) |
| Co‐morbidities as included in CHA2DS2‐VASc score (%)a | ||||
| Congestive heart failure | 1007 (18.7) | 163 (16.0) | 608 (18.5) | 236 (21.7) |
| Hypertension | 2067 (38.3) | 379 (37.3) | 1268 (38.5) | 420 (38.5) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 840 (15.6) | 151 (14.9) | 533 (16.2) | 156 (14.3) |
| Prior stroke/TIA | 839 (15.5) | 144 (14.2) | 520 (15.8) | 175 (16.1) |
| Vascular disease | 547 (10.1) | 96 (9.4) | 347 (10.5) | 104 (9.5) |
| Mean CHA2DS2‐VASc score (SD) | 2.98 (1.71) | 2.65 (1.74) | 3.07 (1.70) | 3.03 (1.65) |
| Prior VKA use yes (%) | 2595 (48.1) | 479 (47.1) | 1644 (49.9) | 472 (43.3) |
| Concomitant antiplatelet use (%)b | 599 (11.1) | 91 (9.0) | 364 (11.1) | 144 (13.2) |
| Concomitant aspirin use (%)c | 1846 (34.2) | 411 (40.5) | 1039 (31.6) | 396 (36.3) |
| Concomitant NSAID use (%)b | 327 (6.1) | 80 (7.9) | 176 (5.3) | 71 (6.5) |
| Concomitant use of contraindicated drugs (%)d | 118 (2.2) | 9 (0.9) | 78 (2.4) | 31 (2.8) |
| Concomitant use of drugs that should be avoided (%)e | 268 (5.0) | 53 (5.2) | 147 (4.5) | 68 (6.2) |
| Mean number different drugs prior to DOAC initiation (SD) | 10.8 (5.5) | 9.8 (5.2) | 11.0 (5.5) | 11.0 (5.5) |
Abbreviations: DOAC, direct oral anticoagulant; NSAID, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug; SD, standard deviation; TIA, transient ischaemic attack; VKA, vitamin K antagonist.
a
Based on hospital records only—ICD‐10 codes included in the CHA2DS2‐VASc score can be found in Appendix 2.
b
Excluding aspirin.
c
Includes only prescribed aspirin—potential underestimation of use as aspirin can be acquired over‐the‐counter in Scotland.
d
Dabigatran: itraconazole, ketoconazole; rivaroxaban and apixaban: carbamazepine, itraconazole, ketoconazole, phenytoin, rifampicin.50
e
Dabigatran: carbamazepine, clarithromycin, phenytoin; rivaroxaban and apixaban: clarithromycin.50