[Level of understanding of patients on anticoagulants at a health centre: relationship of this and monitoring of therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the level of understanding that patients taking oral anti-coagulants (OAC) and monitored at a primary care centre have of their treatment and to relate this to the monitoring of the therapy.


METHODS
Descriptive study lasting one year.


METHODS
Pintores Health Centre, Parla. Area 10.


METHODS
Adult patients in treatment for at least 6 months with OAC treatment and monitored in PC. Method. Patients took a 9-question test. The replies were evaluated, with points from 0 to 3 awarded for the understanding the patient possessed. The highest score possible was 15. To assess the degree of therapy monitoring, the crossover analysis of the determinations of the international normalized ratio (INR) over the previous year was used, taking at random 6 determinations per patient. An association between patients' level of understanding (<10 points and >10 points) and the degree of therapy monitoring (<66% or >66% of determinations of INR in rank) was looked for, using the Chi-squared as a statistical test.


RESULTS
50 patients were assessed with a mean score of 7.14 points. In addition, 294 INR determinations were analysed, with 56.12% at satisfactory levels. No significant relationship was found between patients' level of understanding and the degree of therapy monitoring.


CONCLUSIONS
The level of understanding of patients on OAC about their illness and treatment is very low, and basically depends on age. Even so, monitoring by health professionals and patients' high degree of compliance with their therapy despite their scant understanding lead to excellent levels at monitoring, with a very low index of appearance of greater complications.
de Felipe Medina
R
R
Centro de Salud Pintores. Parla. Area 10. Madrid. España. rdefelipe@terra.es
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D003151:Community Health Centers; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic
D000925:Anticoagulants