BMJ Open Respir Res
Do vitamin K antagonists worsen outcomes in COPD?
A nationwide Danish cohort study of 7,091 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and afib found that vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy was associated with a modestly lower 1‑year risk of severe COPD exacerbation–related hospitalization or death compared with DOACs (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.78 - 0.98; p=0.024). Although sensitivity analyses showed similar trends, they didn’t reach statistical significance.
Clinical takeaway: In patients with COPD and afib, VKA therapy doesn’t appear to confer excess short-term respiratory risk compared with DOACs, and choice of anticoagulant may continue to prioritize standard cardiovascular considerations.
Source:
Gundersen BVV, et al. (2026, January 27). BMJ Open Respir Res. COPD and vitamin K antagonism: a cohort study of 1-year all-cause mortality and risk of hospitalisation due to a severe exacerbation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41592866/