KEY POINTS
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is responsible for approx i mately
20%
of
all
strokes;
stroke
is
the
third
most
common
cause
of
US
deaths.
Current guidelines for stroke prevention recommend
thromboprophylaxis for all patients with AF who are
at high risk for stroke.
Appropriate thromboprophylaxis is the mainstay of
stroke prevention, resulting in approximately 60%
ischemic stroke risk reduction.
In this claims data analysis, however, 65% of
patients with AF did not have claims for
anticoagulant therapy; the rate was only slightly
lower (61%) among patients at high risk for stroke,
with only 39% receiving anticoagulation therapy.
Age played some role in the rate of anticoagulation
use: only 16% of patients with AF under age 65
years had claims for an anticoagulant agent
compared with 22% for those aged 65 to 74 years
and 61% among those aged ≥75 years.
These findings echo previous findings in the medical
literature, suggesting a significant underutilization of
anticoagulation therapy in people with AF.
Although the cost of treating AF is significant—
amounting to an estimated $6.65 billion direct cost
in 2005—this amount is dwarfed by the treatment of
stroke, which in 2010 was estimated at $73.7 billion
for direct and indirect costs.
Quality of care in this patient population can be
improved by using software designed to analyze
claims data to identify practice patterns and ways to
improve treatment adherence.