Abstract 279: Factors Affecting Oral Anticoagulation Use Amongst Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction/Purpose Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that increases the risk of stroke. Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are highly effective in reducing this risk. Despite the proven efficacy of OACs, non‐compliance remains a significant issue, often due to lack of health literacy amongst patients. Furthermore, a considerable number of eligible patients are not even prescribed OACs. Although various factors contribute to the underuse of OACs, limited research has explored the impact of patients’ attitudes and knowledge about OACs. Thus, the primary aim of this study is to identify the compliance rate of OACs among AF patients, and to explore the differences in attitude, education level, and knowledge that may influence OAC usage. Methods The research involved a prospective questionnaire‐based survey, conducted among patients with a known history of AF who presented at our institution. Descriptive statistics were used to describe patient characteristics, adherence to OACs, knowledge regarding OACs, and attitudes toward OACs. Values were expressed as medians for continuous data, and as counts and percentages for categorical data. Bivariate analyses, such as analysis of variance and t‐tests, were used to assess the relationships between these variables for both categorical and continuous data. Additionally, a binary logistic regression was employed to evaluate whether patients’ perceptions and socioeconomic status could predict non‐adherence to OAC therapy. Results In the OAC knowledge section, participants answered 65% of questions correctly on average, with a range of 45‐80%. Additionally, 71.4% reported missing more than one dose of their medication, with the most common reason being forgetfulness. Of these participants, 71.4% feared stroke more than severe bleeding, while 14% feared bleeding and another 14% were undecided. When asked about the level of stroke risk that would justify OAC use, responses varied: 14% said their risk of stroke would not influence OAC use, and 14% were uncertain. Of those who provided risk estimates, 28% chose a >2% risk threshold, 7% chose 5%, 28% selected 25%, and 7% opted for a 50% risk threshold. Conclusion Non‐adherence to OAC therapy is a persistent issue that requires further investigation. While the small sample size limited the ability to draw statistically significant conclusions, the preliminary data revealed trends in patient attitudes and compliance. Forgetfulness was the most frequently cited reason for non‐adherence. Interestingly, most non‐adherent patients feared stroke more than bleeding but did not fully understand the purpose of anticoagulation therapy. A larger sample size is necessary to better evaluate the correlation between OAC compliance, patient knowledge, and socioeconomic status.