Survey of Knowledge and Attitude of Pharmacists about Direct Oral Anticoagulants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly used due to fewer side effects, predictable pharmacokinetics, lower potential for drug interactions. Different levels of awareness among health care professionals have been reported. Methods: The main objectives of this study were to investigate the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists about direct oral anticoagulants. The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed in Kermanshah province, Iran. The validated researcher-made questionnaire included questions about demographic characteristics and specialized questions that assessed the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists towards new oral anticoagulants. Results: Out of 126 pharmacists participating in this study, 67 (53.2%) were male. The mean scores of knowledges and attitude in pharmacists were 64.94±5.84 and 28.62±3.98, respectively. The most common oral anticoagulant with a direct effect dispensed by pharmacists was rivaroxaban (77.4%). There was also a significant relationship between pharmacists’ attitudes and their place of activity (P = 0.024). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that pharmacists had an acceptable knowledge and low attitude about DOACs.