Compliance with anticoagulant drug therapy: a study on patients with prosthetic heart valves.
The compliance to anticoagulants of a group of patients with prosthetic heart valves has been assessed in the present study. It was found that the level of compliance to these agents was of the order of 90%. Additional compliance data were generated in relation to cardiac drugs and diuretics, which were taken concurrently by the patients. Significant differences were noted between the three categories, the diuretics being the group for which compliance was least. It is postulated that the formal routine adopted by clinics managing patients on anticoagulants greatly enhances compliance with these drugs. The inconvenience of the mode of action of diuretics is no doubt a significant factor in the poor compliance found with them.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010630:Phenindione / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011188:Potassium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000925:Anticoagulants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D010630:Phenindione; D014859:Warfarin; D011188:Potassium