Elective Cardioversion in the Era of Novel Oral Anticoagulants - Does a Nurse Administered Verbal Questionnaire for Compliance Negate the Need for Routine Transoesophageal Echocardiography?

Background: Anticoagulation prior to elective external direct current cardioversion (EDCCV) is mandatory. The inability to monitor compliance with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) raises a potential safety issue. We aimed to evaluate whether a structured, nurse-led assessment of compliance prior to EDCCV ensures safety without the need for routine transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE).

Methods: Data was prospectively collected on consecutive patients undergoing EDCCV during 2014-2015. All procedures were supervised by an electrophysiology clinical nurse consultant (EPCNC). Drug compliance was verbally assessed using a standardised questionnaire by the EPCNC. Novel oral anticoagulants compliance was required for a continuous period of 3 weeks prior to EDCCV; otherwise a TOE-guided EDDCV was performed. All patients had follow-up 30 days post-procedure.

Results: Three hundred and eleven cardioversions were performed on 256 patients in whom 154 (49.5%) were prescribed a NOAC (rivaroxaban (n=105; 68.2%), dabigatran (n=38; 24.7%), apixaban (n=11; 7.1%)). Median age was 63 years (24-94 yrs), mean CHADS-Vasc score was 2.0±1.5 and 138 (89.6%) were outpatients. One hundred and twenty-nine (83.8%) EDCCV were for atrial fibrillation and 25 (16.2%) for atrial flutter. Sinus rhythm was achieved in 90.3% of cases. Fourteen patients (9%) assessed as non-compliant underwent TOE. 129 (83.8%) EDCCV were performed without prior TOE. No stroke or systemic embolism was identified in any patient treated with either warfarin or a NOAC.

Conclusions: A standardised, verbal questionnaire can be administered to detect NOAC non-compliance in patients undergoing EDCCV. With appropriate compliance assessment a nurse-led EDCCV without routine TOE did not significantly compromise safety in this study group.