title: Minimizing the Risk of Bleeding with NOACs in the Elderly.
abstract: Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban have gained a lot of popularity as alternatives to warfarin for anticoagulation in various clinical settings. However, there is conflicting opinion regarding the absolute benefit of NOAC use in elderly patients. Low body mass, altered body composition of fat and muscle, renal impairment and concurrent presence of multiple comorbidities predispose elderly patients to many adverse effects with NOACs that are typically not seen in younger patients. There have been reports that NOAC use, in particular dabigatran, is associated with a higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in the elderly. Diagnosis and management of NOAC-associated bleeding in the elderly is difficult due to the absence of commonly available drug-specific antidotes that can rapidly reverse the anticoagulant effects. Moreover, in elderly patients, a number of factors such as the presence of other comorbid medical conditions, renal insufficiency, drug interactions from polypharmacy, risk of falls and dementia need to be considered before prescribing anticoagulation therapy. Elderly patients frequently have compromised renal function, and therefore dose adjustments according to creatinine clearance for NOACs need to be made. As each NOAC comes with its own unique advantages and safety profile, an individualized case by case approach should be adopted to decide on the appropriate anticoagulation regimen for elderly patients after weighing the overall risks and benefits of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Amartya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Utah Health Science Center, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Room 4A100, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA. parthasardarmd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Partha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sardar
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital of the Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Saurav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Wilbert S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Aronow
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Utah Health Science Center, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Room 4A100, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
authors.forename: Theophilus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Owan
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Utah Health Science Center, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Room 4A100, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D000069604:Dabigatran / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011728:Pyridones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012306:Risk; D000069552:Rivaroxaban / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011728:Pyridones; C522181:apixaban; D014859:Warfarin; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D000069604:Dabigatran