Use of vitamin K antagonists is driven by availability of oral formulation

Arlington Medical Resources (AMR), a provider of premier market intelligence for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic imaging industries, finds that, in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, surveyed European cardiologists indicate that use of vitamin K antagonists, as a class, is primarily driven by the availability of an oral formulation, overall low cost and widespread inclusion on European medical society guidelines and hospital formularies. Vitamin K antagonists and low molecular weight heparins are the most commonly used anticoagulants across physician specialties in Europe.

"Orally administered vitamin K antagonists tend to dominate prescribing in both in-patient and discharge therapy setting, while low molecular weight heparins are more frequently used in the in-patient setting because of their injectable formulation," said AMR Analyst James Andersen.

The analysis can be found in Hospital Insight Series: Anticoagulants—Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (Europe) which will publish later this month. The report analyzes the use of anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation using AMR's comprehensive and highly detailed clinical data in conjunction with primary research and extensive understanding of the market. This report contains European data and examines the reasons behind cardiologists' product preferences, factors driving anticoagulant prescribing patterns and physician receptivity to emerging treatments.