New system improves blood thinner safety

Doctors and pharmacists treating people with blood thinners can reduce the rate of inappropriate dosing -; as well as blood clots and strokes that can result from it -; using an electronic patient management system, a study suggests.

He added, "Not only does our study show how commonly off-label dosing of DOACs occurs, but it highlights that utilizing this DOAC population health management tool can reduce that rate of inappropriate dosing as well as downstream complications, such as stroke and clotting."

"This study provides one of the largest and most impactful evaluations of an anticoagulation stewardship effort to show reduction in adverse clinical events," Barnes said.

"Health systems and policymakers should consider investing in anticoagulation stewardship efforts that support pharmacists in reviewing and correcting off label direct oral anticoagulant dosing for the benefit of millions of patients who take these medications."

Source:

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

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