title: Dawn of the direct-acting oral anticoagulants: trends in oral anticoagulant prescribing in Wales 2009-2015.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral anticoagulants (OACs) have been used for decades for the long-term prevention of arterial and venous thromboembolic disease. These include warfarin and the newer direct-acting OACs (DOACs). Data on 'real-life' prescribing patterns for DOACs are limited. In this commentary, we report the prescribing patterns for OACs in Wales, as a representative country within the UK.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A retrospective analysis of anonymized OAC prescribing data in Wales from June 2009 to December 2015. Results reveal that the number of OAC prescription items increased from 40·48 to 65·26 per 1000 prescribing unit (PU). Average cost increased from £87·41 to £529·31 per 1000 PU. The share of warfarin prescribing declined from 100% to 68%, with the a rising share for the DOACs, made up of rivaroxaban (19%), apixaban (9%) and dabigatran (3%) WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Analysis of real-life data demonstrates that there has been an increase in the overall numbers and costs of OAC prescriptions, with a rising proportion of DOACs to warfarin prescribing.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: M B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8992-9120
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Protty
authors.affiliation: Welsh Medicines Resource Centre, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D055656:Prescriptions; D013997:Time Factors; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: 
  NOAC
  ; 
  direct-acting oral anticoagulants
  ; direct oral anticoagulants; prescribing