Abstract:

Background: Anticoagulants are essential life-saving drugs mainly prescribed to cardiovascular patients to prevent coagulation of blood and increase clotting time. Since anticoagulants prevents formation of thrombi which when formed in vein, artery or intracardium can cause problems in obstruction, distal embolism and affect blood circulation. The recent development and marketing of novel direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) represents a paradigm shift in the management of patients requiring long-term Anticoagulation. Hence the pattern of anticoagulants should be assessed to know the utilization of anticoagulants in hospital setting.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Bugando Medical Centre where systematic sampling was used to retrieve data from patient’s medical records from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2018 and then filled the required information to the standardized checklist prepared finally analysed by STATA version 13.

Results and Discussion: A total of 512patient’s files respectively reviewed out of the 412 files of ambulatory patients with coagulation disorders available. The most common anticoagulant prescribed to the ambulatory patient with coagulation disorder was rivaroxaban 51.97%, warfarin 45.3% and LMWH 2.63%. Also Anticoagulants agent were commonly prescribed for DVT by 26.3%, other VE&T 18.3%, PE 9.9%, AF 15.1%, Arterial Embolism and Thrombosis 3.29%, Embolism and Thrombosis of lower Extremities 3.29%, Embolism and Thrombosis 5.92% 5.92%, Disease of Mitral Valve 8.55%, occlusion of cerebral arteries 1.96%. The results obtained from the study is likely similar to the study done in Ethiopia where DVT and PE were most common indications. Some as study Nigeria and Kenya. Also is the study done in Ethiopia showed most commonly used anticoagulant were warfarin and enoxaparin.

Conclusion and recommendation: The study shows that there is paradigm shift of management of coagulation disorders since development of Novel Direct Oral Anticoagulants like Rivaroxaban, this results are just for ambulatory patients hence there is need of doing the study on utilization of anticoagulants for in-patients.