Drug Utilization Study of Novel Oral Anticoagulant Drugs in The Treatment and Prevention of Thromboembolic Events in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

• Sonam Yangchen Bhutia

  Karnataka College of Pharmacy

  Author

• Balakeshwa Ramaiah

  Karnataka College of Pharmacy

  Author

• Phupu Tshering Bhutia

  Karnataka Collge of Pharmacy

  Author

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Background

This study aims to assess whether NOACs are used appropriately in the treatment of thromboembolic episodes. Despite the development and usage of various parenteral and oral anticoagulant VKA medications, preventing and treating venous and arterial thrombotic events continues to pose considerable medical challenges. With fewer limitations and less need for monitoring, NOAC provides a more consistent anticoagulation profile.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted, involving 50 patients. The demographic details and treatment plan that were used in the study were collected and documented. The HAS-BLED and CHA2DS2-VASc scales were used to assess bleeding and stroke risk. Patients were followed up to identify any adverse events and complications.

Results

The most commonly prescribed therapy was NOAC, which was administered to 72% of the study population. This was followed by rivaroxaban to 24% and dabigatran to 4%. Due to impaired renal function and age, the dose of apixaban was adjusted in 18 patients. The adverse drug reactions were observed in seven patients; most of them were related to apixaban, and DDIs were also due to the same drug. The HAS-BLED score showed bleeding risks ranging from 0 to 4, while the CHA2DS2-VASc score for stroke risk ranged from 0 to 7.

Conclusion

The most commonly used drug was apixaban for stroke prevention in patients with AF, and it also caused the highest number of adverse events. In 18 patients, dose adjustment was required due to factors such as altered renal function and age. DDIs were observed in some patients. Due to bleeding complications, a few patients were switched to other NOACs

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Due to confidentiality concerns, the data are not publicly available.

Copyright (c) 2026 Sonam Yangchen Bhutia, Balakeshwa Ramaiah, Phupu Tshering Bhutia (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.