Trends in antithrombotic drug use and adherence to non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants in the Netherlands.

Background: Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) became available in the Netherlands in 2008, providing another antithrombotic treatment besides vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and antiplatelet agents (APAs).

Objective: To describe the patterns of antithrombotic drug use between 2008 and 2013 by examination of dispensing data form community pharmacies in the Netherlands; to determine the concomitant use of NOACs with VKAs and APAs and switching between the drug classes; and to compare adherence to NOACs with adherence to APAs.

Setting: An observational retrospective study was conducted using routinely collected dispensing data from Dutch community pharmacies.