Constant use of oral anticoagulants: implications in the control of their adequate levels.
Arq Bras Cardiol
; 93(5): 549-54, 2009 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20084318
BACKGROUND: Inappropriate and subtherapeutic anticoagulants dosages may result in severe thromboembolic and bleeding complications. The use of this treatment requires special attention and strict clinical and laboratory follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with appropriate control of the oral anticoagulant use, assessing the patients' knowledge and perception of the treatment. METHODS: A cross-sectional study which included 140 patients followed in the oral anticoagulation outpatient clinic from November 2005 to June 2006. A structured questionnaire was drafted and applied to obtain the clinical characteristics of the patients and their knowledge about the treatment, their compliance with the treatment (Morisky s test) and their perception of the treatment. RESULTS: The main indications for the use of oral anticoagulation therapy were atrial fibrillation (61.4%) and a prosthetic heart valve (55%). The duration of anticoagulation ranged from 24 to 72 months, and phenprocoumon (58%) was the most commonly used anticoagulant. As to the perception of the treatment, 95% of the patients mentioned concern about daily use of this medication. Periodic blood tests (21.4%) and the strict intake of oral anticoagulant (12.8%) were considered limiting factors. Adequate knowledge was outstanding in patients with an international normalized ratio (INR) outside the therapeutic range (64%), compared to patients with an INR within the therapeutic range (62%), as well as compliance with treatment in patients with an INR within the therapeutic range (54%), but with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show a prevalence of patients using oral anticoagulant with an INR within optimal values, although a high percentage of patients do not comply with the treatment. In this population it is clearly seen that they do not fully understand the treatment.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Fibrilação Atrial
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Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde
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Adesão à Medicação
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Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas
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Anticoagulantes
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Qualitative_research
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Arq Bras Cardiol
Ano de publicação:
2009
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Brasil