[Self management of peroral anticoagulant therapy in patients with artificial heart valves].
Twenty-one heart valve operated patients (age 19-70 years) were trained in self-managed oral anticoagulant therapy using a home coagulometer (CoaguChek). Twenty patients accomplished between eight and 29 (median 24) months of self management and were fully capable of self management after 30 weeks of training. No patients experienced major bleeds or thrombo-embolic events. A control group of 20 patients from our department was matched, retrospectively, to the study group. The self-managing patients were within the therapeutic INR range 78% of the study period compared to 54% for the control patients. All self-managing patients had their median INR-value within the therapeutic range, versus only 14 in the control group. Self-management of oral anticoagulant therapy seems feasible for selected patients.
Hasenkam
J M
JM
Arhus Universitetshospital, Skejby Sygehus, hjerte-lunge-karkirurgisk afdeling T. skejmh@aau.dk
Kimose
H H
HH
Grønnesby
H
H
Andersen
N T
NT
Halborg
J
J
Attermann
J
J
Knudsen
L
L
Christensen
T D
TD
Pedersen
A M
AM
Lyngbak
M
M
Pilegaard
H K
HK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012646:Self Administration; D012648:Self Care
D000925:Anticoagulants
Selvstyring af peroral antikoagulationsbehandling hos patienter med kunstige hjerteklapper.