Clinical follow-up of atrial-fibrillation patients treated with novel oral anti-coagulants: A multi-disciplinary consensus from the Apulia section of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO).

The clinical use of novel oral anti-coagulant (NOAC) drugs is actually regulated in Italy by bureaucratic restrictions; clinical prescription of NOACs preliminarily requires an online prescription plan which should be compiled on the Italian Drug Agency website. The prescription plan has 1-year validity and clinical condition of the patient treated with NOACs should be reassessed at 1-year prescription renewal. Only few specialists are presently allowed to prescribe NOACs: cardiologists, geriatricians, neurologists, hematologists and internists; general practitioners (GPs) are not currently allowed to prescribe NOACs, although they are the most in proximity with the patient.