Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use after cardiac surgery is rapidly increasing.

Objective: The prevalence of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use after cardiac surgery is unknown, particularly in patients with bioprosthetic valves. We sought to define the contemporary use and short-term safety of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants after cardiac surgery.

Methods: All patients undergoing bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement, bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement, or isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (2011-2018) were evaluated from a multicenter, regional Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Patients were stratified by anticoagulant type (non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant vs vitamin K antagonist) and era (early [2011-2014] vs contemporary [2015-2018]).

Results: Of 34,188 patients, 18% (6063) were discharged on anticoagulation, of whom 23% were prescribed non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants. Among those receiving anticoagulation, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use has significantly increased from 10.3% to 35.4% in contemporary practice (P < .01). This trend was observed for each operation type (coronary artery bypass grafting 0.86%/year, bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: 2.15%/year, bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement: 2.72%/year, all P < .01). In patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation receiving anticoagulation, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use has increased from 6.3% to 35.4% and 12.3% to 40.3% after bioprosthetic valve replacement and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, respectively (both P < .01). In patients receiving anticoagulation at discharge, adjusted 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 1.94; P = .12) and reoperation (odds ratio, 0.79; P = .34) rates were not associated with anticoagulant choice, whereas non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use was associated with an adjusted 0.9-day decrease (P < .01) in postoperative length of stay.

Conclusions: Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant use after cardiac surgery has dramatically increased since 2011. This trend is consistent regardless of indication for anticoagulation including bioprosthetic valves. Short-term outcomes support their safety in the cardiac surgery setting with shorter postoperative hospital stays. Long-term studies on the efficacy of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants after cardiac surgery are still necessary.