Abstract 16063: African American's Are Prescribed Direct Oral Anticoagulants at Lower Rate Than White Patient's in an Inpatient Cohort With Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Previous studies have demonstrated racial disparities in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Potential explanations for disparities in care include cost and insurance coverage issues. This has not been examined in relation to anticoagulation (AC) therapy for thromboembolic prophylaxis of AF in a more contemporary practice using an inpatient cohort.

For hospitalized patients with AF, is there disparity in the rate of prescription of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy at discharge for Black compared to White patients?

Methods: A single-center retrospective query of all patients hospitalized at a University Hospital with a primary or secondary diagnosis of “AF” in 2022 and a prescription for AC at time of discharge was performed using EPIC. Baseline characteristics and AC prescription were compared between Black and White patients using the χ2 test for categorical variables and t test for continuous variables.

Results: There were 275 patients that met the inclusion criteria. Demographics were 38.2% female, 66.5% White, and 14.9% Black (Table). DOAC was prescribed at discharge for 66.1% of White and in 55.0% of Black patients (p=0.01). The distribution of type of AC prescribed at discharge is shown (Figure).

There is an ongoing racial disparity in the rate of DOAC prescription in hospitalized patients with AF, despite similar insurance status. Further investigation into underlying reasons for these differences and ways to eliminate disparities is warranted.