National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (3)
- Adverse Events (4)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- (-) Blood Thinners (14)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (5)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (1)
- Comparative Effectiveness (1)
- COVID-19 (1)
- Elderly (1)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (3)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (2)
- Heart Disease and Health (5)
- Implementation (1)
- Medical Errors (1)
- Medication (13)
- Medication: Safety (2)
- Outcomes (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (1)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Patient Safety (3)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Provider: Nurse (1)
- Provider: Pharmacist (5)
- Registries (2)
- Stroke (3)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 14 of 14 Research Studies DisplayedKaufman BG, Holland DE, Vanderboom CE
Multicomponent pharmacist intervention did not reduce clinically important medication errors for ambulatory patients initiating direct oral anticoagulants.
The aim of this randomized controlled trial study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention for decreasing clinically important medication errors (CIMEs). The researchers included ambulatory patients beginning a DOAC or resuming one after a complication. The intervention included pharmacist evaluation and monitoring based on the implementation of a recently published checklist. The primary measure was anticoagulant-related CIMEs and non-anticoagulant-related CIMEs over 90 days from DOAC initiation. Primary variables included evaluation of the appropriateness of DOAC, need for DOAC affordability assistance, three pharmacist-initiated telephone consultations, access to a DOAC hotline, documented hand-off to the patient's continuity provider, and monitoring of follow-up laboratory tests. A total of 561 patients contributed 479 anticoagulant-CIMEs including 31 preventable and ameliorable ADEs and 448 significant anticoagulant medication errors without subsequent documented ADEs. The most common anticoagulant-related CIMEs were failure to perform required blood tests and concurrent, inappropriate usage of a DOAC with aspirin or NSAIDs despite pharmacist documentation systematically identifying these issues when present. There was no reduction in anticoagulant-related CIMEs among intervention patients or non-anticoagulant-related CIMEs.
AHRQ-funded; HS02592401.
Citation: Kaufman BG, Holland DE, Vanderboom CE .
Multicomponent pharmacist intervention did not reduce clinically important medication errors for ambulatory patients initiating direct oral anticoagulants.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Dec; 38(16):3526-34. doi: 10.1007/s11606-023-08315-z..
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medical Errors, Blood Thinners, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Ranusch A, Lin YJ, Dorsch MP
Role of individual clinician authority in the implementation of informatics tools for population-based medication management: qualitative semistructured interview study.
The objective of this study was to examine how individual authority of clinical pharmacists and anticoagulation nurses is affected by the implementation success of an electronic health record (EHR) direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) Dashboard for safe DOAC medication prescribing. Researchers conducted semistructured interviews with pharmacists and nurses after the implementation of the EHR DOAC Dashboard at three clinical sites. Results showed that a high level of individual clinician authority was associated with high levels of key facilitators for effective use of the DOAC Dashboard; conversely, a lack of individual authority was associated with key barriers to effective use. The researchers concluded that increased individual clinician authority is a necessary antecedent to the effective implementation of an EHR DOAC Population Management Dashboard.
AHRQ-funded; HS026874.
Citation: Ranusch A, Lin YJ, Dorsch MP .
Role of individual clinician authority in the implementation of informatics tools for population-based medication management: qualitative semistructured interview study.
JMIR Hum Factors 2023 Oct 24; 10:e49025. doi: 10.2196/49025..
Keywords: Medication, Provider: Pharmacist, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider: Nurse, Blood Thinners
Troy AL, Herzig SJ, Trivedi S
Initiation of oral anticoagulation in US older adults newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation during hospitalization.
This study investigated prevalence of oral anticoagulant initiation for newly diagnosed US older adults with atrial fibrillation within 7 days of hospital discharge. The authors used a 20% national sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, identifying patients aged 65 years or older newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation while hospitalized in 2016. Among 38,379 older adults newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation while hospitalized (mean age 78.2; 51.8% female; 83.3% white), 36,633 (95.4%) had an indication for anticoagulation and 24.6% (9011) of those initiated an oral anticoagulant following discharge. Higher CHA(2) DS(2) -VASc score was associated with a small increase in oral anticoagulant initiation (predicted probability 20.5% for scores <2 and 24.9% for ≥4). Elevated HAS-BLED score was associated with a small decrease in probability of anticoagulant initiation (25.4% for score <2 and 23.1% for ≥3). Frailty was associated with decreased likelihood of oral anticoagulant initiation (24.7% for non-frail and 18.1% for moderately-severely frail). Anticoagulant initiation varied by primary reason for hospitalization, with predicted probability highest among patients with a primary diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (46.1%) and lowest among those with non-cardiovascular conditions (13.8%) and bleeds (3.6%).
AHRQ-funded; HS026215.
Citation: Troy AL, Herzig SJ, Trivedi S .
Initiation of oral anticoagulation in US older adults newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation during hospitalization.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2023 Sep; 71(9):2748-58. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18375..
Keywords: Elderly, Blood Thinners, Medication, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Stroke
Derington CG, Goodrich GK, Xu S
Association of direct oral anticoagulation management strategies with clinical outcomes for adults with atrial fibrillation.
This study investigated the impact of an anticoagulation management service (AMS) on clinical outcomes of adults with atrial fibrillation (AF). This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 3 Kaiser Permanente regions, with each region taking a slightly different approach to direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) care. These approaches included (1) usual care (UC) by the prescribing clinician, (2) UC plus an automated population management tool (PMT), or (3) pharmacist-managed AMS care. The study included 44,746 adults with a diagnosis of AF who initiated DOAC or warfarin between August 2016 and January 1, 2020, 6182 in the UC model, 33,624 in the UC plus PMT care model, and 4939 in the AMS care model. Baseline characteristics (mean age, 73.1 years, 56.1% male, 67.2% non-Hispanic White, median CHA2DS2-VASc [congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, female sex] score of 3 [IQR, 2-5]) were well balanced after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The cohort was followed over a median of 2 years, and patients who received the UC plus PMT or AMS care model did not have significantly better outcomes than those who received only UC.
AHRQ-funded; HS026156.
Citation: Derington CG, Goodrich GK, Xu S .
Association of direct oral anticoagulation management strategies with clinical outcomes for adults with atrial fibrillation.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Jul; 6(7):e2321971. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.21971..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Blood Thinners, Medication, Outcomes, Stroke
Smith SN, Lanham M, Seagull FJ
Implementing pharmacist-prescriber collaboration to improve evidence-based anticoagulant use: a randomized trial.
This article described a study designed to improve existing alert systems for direct oral anticoagulant medications (DOAC) by testing novel alerts that encourage collaboration between prescribers and expert pharmacists working in anticoagulation clinics. Its goals were to determine the effect of notifications targeting existing inappropriate DOAC prescriptions, to examine the effect of alerts on newly prescribed inappropriate DOACs, and to examine changes in the magnitude of effects over time for both the new and existing prescription alerts. Prescribing healthcare providers would be randomized to different types of electronic health record medication alerts when a patient has an unsafe anticoagulant prescription; the authors identified which alerts are most effective at encouraging evidence-based prescribing.
AHRQ-funded; HS028562.
Citation: Smith SN, Lanham M, Seagull FJ .
Implementing pharmacist-prescriber collaboration to improve evidence-based anticoagulant use: a randomized trial.
Implement Sci 2023 May 15; 18(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13012-023-01273-4..
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Blood Thinners, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice
Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Rastogi V
Efficacy and safety of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy in carotid artery stenting.
This study’s objective was to examine the efficacy and safety of preoperative single antiplatelet therapy (AP) therapy vs double antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients who had undergone transfemoral CAS (tfCAS) or transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). The authors identified all patients who had undergone tfCAS or TCAR in the Vascular Quality Initiative database from 2016 to 2021. A total of 18,570 tfCAS patients were included, of which 70% had received DAPT, 5.6% no AP therapy, 10% ASA only, 8.0% ASA + AP loading dose, 4.6% P2Y12 inhibitor (P2Yi) only, and 2.9% P2Yi + AP loading dose. After adjustment, compared with DAPT, the incidence of stroke/death was higher with no AP therapy, ASA only, and ASA + AP loading dose, but was similar with P2Yi only, and P2Yi + AP loading dose. No differences were found in the incidence of bleeding rates between the treatment groups after tfCAS or TCAR. These findings support the current guidelines recommending DAPT before CAS but also suggest that P2Yi monotherapy might confer thromboembolic benefits similar to those with DAPT.
AHRQ-funded; HS027285.
Citation: Marcaccio CL, Patel PB, Rastogi V .
Efficacy and safety of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy in carotid artery stenting.
J Vasc Surg 2023 May; 77(5):1434-46.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2022.12.034..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Medication: Safety, Cardiovascular Conditions, Stroke, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Wilson AS, Pham T, Mbusa D
Pharmacist-led, checklist intervention did not improve adherence in ambulatory patients starting/resuming DOACs.
This study’s aim was to determine whether checklist-driven care from a clinical pharmacist improved adherence in ambulatory patients starting a direct-acting anticoagulant (DOAC) or resuming it after a setback (thromboembolic event or bleeding) in an ambulatory setting. Clinical pharmacists using the DOAC checklist verified DOAC appropriateness, instructed dose de-escalation, educated through 3 tele-visits, fielded hotline calls, and handed off to a continuity provider after 3 months. Coupons and help with completing manufacturer-based medication assistance applicants were made available to intervention and control patients. Using pharmacy dispense records, the authors measured medication possession ratio (MPR) at 90 days (primary outcome) and proportion of days covered (PDC) at 90 days and MPR and PDC at 180 and 365 days (secondary outcomes). Of the 561 patients randomized, only 427 had sufficient records to analyze. Adherence was high with only 41 patients having MPR less than 80% at 90 days. There was no difference in adherence between intervention and control patients for primary outcome (odds ratio 0.94)) or secondary outcomes. The authors felt that given the already high levels of adherence in both study groups, reassessing the DOAC checklist outside of a traditional trial may be more fruitful.
AHRQ-funded; HS02592401.
Citation: Wilson AS, Pham T, Mbusa D .
Pharmacist-led, checklist intervention did not improve adherence in ambulatory patients starting/resuming DOACs.
J Am Pharm Assoc 2023 May-Jun; 63(3):878-84.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2023.02.019..
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Blood Thinners, Medication
Gamyroulas EM, Jones AE, Saunders JA
Trends in antiplatelet strategies 12-months following coronary stent placement in anticoagulated patients.
The guidelines for antithrombotic management in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) who also necessitate anticoagulant treatment are continually developing. The purpose of this study is to examine adjustments to antithrombotic regimens and correlated outcomes within a year following PCI in patients needing continued anticoagulation therapy. Data from patients discovered through electronic medical record searches were manually assessed to validate alterations in antithrombotic treatment from discharge up to one year post-PCI, as well as episodes of significant bleeding, clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB), major adverse cardiovascular or neurological events (MACNE), and all-cause mortality outcomes during an extra six-month follow-up period. The study found that one year after PCI, patients (n = 120) undergoing anticoagulation treatment were categorized based on their antiplatelet therapy status: no antiplatelet therapy (n = 16), single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) (n = 85), or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (n = 19). Between 12 and 18 months post-PCI, there were two significant bleeds, seven CRNMB events, six MACNE incidents, two venous thromboembolisms, and five fatalities. All but one bleeding occurrence transpired in the SAPT group. The likelihood of maintaining DAPT at 12 months was elevated in patients who underwent PCI for acute coronary syndrome and those who experienced MACNE within one year post-PCI; however, these associations did not reach statistical significance.
AHRQ-funded; HS027960
Citation: Gamyroulas EM, Jones AE, Saunders JA .
Trends in antiplatelet strategies 12-months following coronary stent placement in anticoagulated patients.
BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2023 Mar 8;23(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s12872-023-03161-7.
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events
Djulbegovic B, Hozo I, Lizarraga D
Evaluation of a fast-and-frugal clinical decision algorithm ('pathways') on clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 treated with anticoagulants.
The objective of this study was to assess if delivery of anticoagulant prophylaxis according to an algorithm improved clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in comparison with anticoagulant treatment given at individual practitioners' discretion. Findings indicated that the algorithm did not reduce death, venous thromboembolism, nor major bleeding, but helped avoid longer hospital stay and admission to an intensive-care unit.
AHRQ-funded; HS024917.
Citation: Djulbegovic B, Hozo I, Lizarraga D .
Evaluation of a fast-and-frugal clinical decision algorithm ('pathways') on clinical outcomes in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 treated with anticoagulants.
J Eval Clin Pract 2023 Feb; 29(1):3-12. doi: 10.1111/jep.13780..
Keywords: COVID-19, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Blood Thinners, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Pham T, Patel P, Mbusa D
Impact of a pharmacist intervention on DOAC knowledge and satisfaction in ambulatory patients.
This randomized clinical trial’s goal was to assess the impact on knowledge and satisfaction of an intervention framed around a newly developed direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) Checklist to guide and educate patients initiating or resuming DOACs. The cohort included ambulatory patients starting a DOAC or resuming one after setback (bleeding, stroke, or transient ischemic attack) in an ambulatory setting (office, emergency department, or short stay hospitalization). The study included three educational clinical pharmacist tele-visits, hotline access to the pharmacist, and coordination with continuity providers in 3 months. An abbreviated version of the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Survey was administered to 463 patients. Scores were similar for the 233 intervention patients vs. 203 control patients (63.7% vs 62.2% correct). Satisfaction scores on the 7-point Likert scale were also virtually identical. The pharmacist-led intervention framed around the DOAC checklist had little impact on knowledge and satisfaction. There were delays between the intervention end and completion of the follow-up questionnaires, which may have obscured benefits experienced earlier.
AHRQ-funded; HS026859.
Citation: Pham T, Patel P, Mbusa D .
Impact of a pharmacist intervention on DOAC knowledge and satisfaction in ambulatory patients.
J Thromb Thrombolysis 2023 Feb;55(2):346-54. doi: 10.1007/s11239-022-02743-0.
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Blood Thinners, Medication, Patient Experience, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Dorsch MP, Chen CS, Allen AL
Nationwide implementation of a population management dashboard for monitoring direct oral anticoagulants: Insights from the Veterans Affairs health system.
Although they exhibit a robust efficacy and safety profile, prescribing Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in accordance with evidence-based practices can be difficult due to varying dosage requirements based on factors like indication, renal function, and drug interactions. To assist pharmacists in reviewing anticoagulant prescriptions, the Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) created and deployed a population management dashboard that displays information on DOACs, prescribed dosages, renal function, age, weight, potential drug interactions, and refill needs. This dashboard operates as a standalone system. The purpose of this study was to assess the DOAC dashboard using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, analyzing login data from the dashboard. The study found that from August 2016 to June 2020, 150 out of 164 VHA sites utilized the dashboard, with an average of 1875 patients per site. The dashboard was introduced to sites in a staggered manner. Moderate or high adoption, defined as logging in on at least two separate days per month, started slowly with 3 out of 5 pilot sites but quickly rose to 142 out of 150 (94.7%) sites by June 2020. The mean number of unique users per site grew from 2.4 to 7.5 during the study. By the end of the research period, 126 out of 150 (84.0%) sites maintained moderate to high adoption of the dashboard for over six months. The researchers concluded that the population health dashboard for evidence-based anticoagulant prescribing witnessed rapid and sustained implementation and adoption across the national VHA health system in the United States. Investigating the tool's impact on clinical outcomes and replicating this care model in other healthcare systems would be crucial for widespread dissemination and adoption.
AHRQ-funded; HS026874.
Citation: Dorsch MP, Chen CS, Allen AL .
Nationwide implementation of a population management dashboard for monitoring direct oral anticoagulants: Insights from the Veterans Affairs health system.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Feb; 16(2):e009256. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009256..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Implementation
Vaughan Sarrazin MS, Jones M, Mazur A
Bleeding rates in Veterans Affairs patients with atrial fibrillation who switch from warfarin to dabigatran.
This study evaluated the relative risks of any, gastrointestinal, intracranial, and other bleeding for Veterans Affairs patients who switched to dabigatran after at least 6 months on warfarin. It found that among veterans with atrial fibrillation who switched to dabigatran, dabigatran increased the risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage by 54% and was not associated with rates of other bleeding or death.
AHRQ-funded; HS021992
Citation: Vaughan Sarrazin MS, Jones M, Mazur A .
Bleeding rates in Veterans Affairs patients with atrial fibrillation who switch from warfarin to dabigatran.
Am J Med. 2014 Dec;127(12):1179-85. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.07.024..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Adverse Events, Patient Safety
O'Brien EC, Holmes DN, Ansell JE
Physician practices regarding contraindications to oral anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation: findings from the Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF) registry.
This study describes the frequencies of and factors associated with oral anticoagulation (OAC) contraindications in clinical practice for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Contraindications to OAC therapy among patients with AF are common but subjective. Many patients with reported contraindications were receiving OAC, suggesting that the perceived benefits outweighed the potential harm posed by the relative contraindication.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092
Citation: O'Brien EC, Holmes DN, Ansell JE .
Physician practices regarding contraindications to oral anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation: findings from the Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF) registry.
Am Heart J. 2014 Apr;167(4):601-609.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2013.12.014..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Blood Thinners, Medication, Registries, Cardiovascular Conditions, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Practice Patterns
Eapen ZJ, Grau-Sepulveda MV, Fonarow GC
Prescribing warfarin at discharge for heart failure patients: findings from the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Registry
The researchers used data from a heart failure (HF) registry to determine the prevalence and variation, as well as patient characteristics, in warfarin prescription among real-world HF population. They found that warfarin was prescribed at discharge for more than 1 out of 10 patients hospitalized for HF without evident indications or contraindications for anticoagulation.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092
Citation: Eapen ZJ, Grau-Sepulveda MV, Fonarow GC .
Prescribing warfarin at discharge for heart failure patients: findings from the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Registry
Int J Cardiol. 2014 Mar 15;172(2):e322-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.12.161..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Registries, Comparative Effectiveness, Blood Thinners, Medication