Non‐vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are associated with a lower bone fracture risk than warfarin, according to new findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
“Because osteoporosis and bone fractures pose major threats to the elderly and oral anticoagulants (OACs) are mainly prescribed to older adults who have multiple risk factors for fractures, it is critically essential to determine whether a difference in fracture risks exists between NOACs and warfarin,” wrote lead author Huei‐Kai Huang, MD, of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in Taiwan, and colleagues.
The study’s authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from more than 388,000 patients from 29 different studies. At least two independent reviewers read every relevant study to confirm its relevance and extract any necessary data.
Overall, the group found that patients taking NOACs had a 16% lower risk of developing a bone fracture than patients taking warfarin. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban were all specifically associated with a significantly lower fracture risk.
“The results from randomized controlled trials and real‐world population‐based cohort studies were quite consistent, indicating the robustness of our findings,” the authors wrote. “We undertook separate meta‐analyses for each type of NOAC as well as for different fractures sites, providing a comprehensive evaluation to address the knowledge gap.”
Going forward, researchers noted that NOACs “may be preferred over warfarin to lower fracture risks in patients with indications for OAC therapy.”
Read the full study here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.