Table 2.
Warfarin patients switching to DOACs or remaining on warfarin
| Patient count, thousands (percentage) | ||||
| Period | March–May | June–August | ||
| Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Baseline warfarin patients** | 164 000 | 195 000 | 143 200 | 185 900 |
| Switched | 20 000 (12.2) | 6900 (3.5) | 6300 (4.4) | 5900 (3.2) |
| Continued warfarin | 136 100 (83.0) | 177 300 (90.9) | 128 200 (89.5) | 169 900 (91.4) |
| No anticoagulants† | 7900 (4.8) | 10 800 (5.6) | 8700 (6.1) | 10 100 (5.4) |
| Switched back (% of switchers) |
1200 (5.8) | 300 (4.1) | 300 (4.7) | 300 (4.4) |
| At least one INR (% of continued) |
109 100 (80.1) | 148 400 (83.7) | 101 100 (78.8) | 140 000 (82.4) |
| At least one TTR (% of continued) |
52 600 (38.6) | 67 200 (37.9) | 50 300 (39.2) | 66 500 (39.1) |
| High INR (≥8) (% of continued) |
700 (0.5) | 700 (0.4) | 400 (0.3) | 600 (0.3) |
Number and percentage of warfarin patients who continued on warfarin, received a DOAC (‘switched’) or had no anticoagulants, during March–May 2020 compared with 2019 and similarly for June–August. Also showing the percentage of those switching to a DOAC who later received warfarin ‘switched back’ (within the same 3-month period); and the percentage of those remaining on warfarin who had at least one INR test, INR TTR or high INR (≥8) recorded. Patient counts are rounded to the nearest 100.
*Baseline warfarin patients for each period were those issued warfarin at least once (but no DOACs) in the 3 months immediately prior to the period shown.
†Those with no anticoagulants (referring to warfarin and DOACs only) in the follow-up period may have discontinued anticoagulant treatment, moved to a non-TPP practice, died or simply had a long period without a new prescription from their GP (eg, due to a hospital stay or longer than usual prescription duration).
DOACs, direct-acting oral anticoagulants; INR, international normalised ratio; TTR, time in therapeutic range.