Direct Oral Anticoagulants are High-Risk Medications with Potentially Complex Dosing | PSNet

Direct Oral Anticoagulants are High-Risk Medications with Potentially Complex Dosing | PSNet

Direct Oral Anticoagulants are High-Risk Medications with Potentially Complex Dosing

In this WebM&M case, a male patient with history of femoral bypasses underwent thrombolysis and thrombectomy for a popliteal artery occlusion. An error in the discharge education materials resulted in the patient taking incorrect doses of rivaroxaban post-discharge, resulting in a readmission for recurrent right popliteal and posterior tibial occlusion. The commentary discusses the challenges associated with prescribing direct-action oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and how computerized clinical decision support tools can promote adherence to guideline recommendations and mitigate the risk of error, and how tools such as standardized teaching materials and teach-back can support patient understanding of medication-related instructions.