Study Finds Apixaban Reduces Risk of Recurrent Blood Clots in Older Adults Compared to Warfarin
A recent study has revealed that apixaban, a direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC), is associated with a lower risk of recurrent blood clots and major bleeding events in older adults compared to warfarin. The research, published in the American Journal of Hematology, analyzed data from 18,066 Medicare users in the United States aged 66 and older who had been diagnosed with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). Participants were prescribed either warfarin, rivaroxaban, or apixaban between January 2015 and December 2019. The study found that apixaban users experienced 40.5 recurrent VTE events per 1,000 person-years, compared to 54.8 for warfarin users. Additionally, major bleeding occurred at a rate of 19.4 per 1,000 person-years for apixaban users, versus 26.0 for those on warfarin. The study also noted that apixaban users had an average of 12.1 fewer days of 'home time loss' compared to warfarin users. 
