Shahrzad Salmasi1, Anita I Kapanen1, Leanne Kwan2, Jason G Andrade3, Mary A De Vera1, Peter Loewen4. 1. Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 2. Atrial Fibrillation Clinic, Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster, Canada. 3. Atrial Fibrillation Clinic, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 4. Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address: peter.loewen@ubc.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients' experiences with changes in their oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy are understudied. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to qualitatively describe AF patients' experiences and perspectives of changes made to their OAC therapy (switches or discontinuations). METHODS: A thematic analysis was performed on systematically-collected qualitative data from AF patients who experienced a therapy change (switching or discontinuing an OAC) as part of their participation in a large 2-year prospective observational study. RESULTS: A total of 56 participants met the inclusion criteria. Six themes emerged from the data: 1. reasons for switch or discontinuation of therapy, 2. attitudes towards changes in therapy attributes, 3. challenges with taking medications after therapy change, 4. relief from perceived burden of medication after discontinuation, 5. patients' limited involvement in decision-making, and 6. inadequate education and follow up. Patients were found to request changes in therapy based on their subjective experience with it (rather than clinically justified reasons). They were found to have limited knowledge about their medications, differing reactions to changes in their therapy attributes after a switch, an overall negative attitude towards taking medications, adherence challenges after switching from once daily to twice daily medication, feelings of being excluded from the decision-making process about their therapy changes and feelings of being unsupported after these changes. CONCLUSIONS: There are clear opportunities to improve patients' experiences with OAC therapy changes through improved shared decision-making and patient education/counselling.
BACKGROUND:Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients' experiences with changes in their oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy are understudied. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to qualitatively describe AFpatients' experiences and perspectives of changes made to their OAC therapy (switches or discontinuations). METHODS: A thematic analysis was performed on systematically-collected qualitative data from AFpatients who experienced a therapy change (switching or discontinuing an OAC) as part of their participation in a large 2-year prospective observational study. RESULTS: A total of 56 participants met the inclusion criteria. Six themes emerged from the data: 1. reasons for switch or discontinuation of therapy, 2. attitudes towards changes in therapy attributes, 3. challenges with taking medications after therapy change, 4. relief from perceived burden of medication after discontinuation, 5. patients' limited involvement in decision-making, and 6. inadequate education and follow up. Patients were found to request changes in therapy based on their subjective experience with it (rather than clinically justified reasons). They were found to have limited knowledge about their medications, differing reactions to changes in their therapy attributes after a switch, an overall negative attitude towards taking medications, adherence challenges after switching from once daily to twice daily medication, feelings of being excluded from the decision-making process about their therapy changes and feelings of being unsupported after these changes. CONCLUSIONS: There are clear opportunities to improve patients' experiences with OAC therapy changes through improved shared decision-making and patient education/counselling.
Authors: Shahrzad Salmasi; Adenike Adelakun; Abdollah Safari; Leanne Kwan; Jenny MacGillivray; Jason G Andrade; Marc W Deyell; Anita Kapanen; Peter Loewen Journal: CJC Open Date: 2021-06-29