A retrospective cohort study evaluated anticoagulation (AC) use among 6,386 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation between 2021 and 2024, comparing adults aged 50–75 years with those aged 76–89 years. Researchers assessed prescribing patterns using the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score for stroke risk and the ORBIT score for bleeding risk. AC underutilization was defined as not prescribing anticoagulant therapy to patients who met guideline-based criteria for stroke prevention, while AC appropriateness referred to anticoagulant use that aligned with a patient’s stroke and bleeding risk profile.
The study found that patients aged 76–89 years were more than four times as likely to experience AC underutilization compared with younger patients. Despite having a greater risk of stroke, many elderly individuals did not receive anticoagulation when clinically indicated. At the same time, appropriate…
