3/2007Oral anticoagulant therapy – evaluation of patients’ knowledge about proper monitoring and side effects

RENATA KRUPA (Katedra i Zakład Medycyny Rodzinnej z Oddziałem Klinicznym Chorób Wewnętrznych i Metabolicznych Akademii Medycznej w Warszawie;Kierownik: prof. dr hab. med. Kazimierz A. Wardyn)

Background
Oral anticoagulant therapy is used for prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications of many disorders: stroke, fibrilatio arteriorum, pulmonary embolism. Elderly patients are at high risk of over-anticoagulation when treated with oral antiucoagulant therapy, especially during treatment induction. Oral anticoagulant therapy is difficult to use in the elderly, particularly during the induction phase, because of an increased sensitivity to the drug, with marked variability among patients in the required dose. Positive therapeutic effects of the treatment are connected with education and proper monitoring.

Material and methods
Assessment of 78 patient’s questionnaires hospitalized due to oral anticoagulant therapy complications in Family Medicine, Internal and Metabolic Diseases Department, Medical University in Warsaw in 2003–2006. Statistica 5.0 pl program was used for analysis.

Results
In 58% we observed bleeding complications. NSAIDs influence on therapy was unknown in 81% patients. 51% of patients under the age of 75 evaluated their knowledge as unsatisfactory.

Key words: anticoagulant therapy, monitoring, education, questionnaire