title: Optimizing the efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulant therapy: high-quality dose management, anticoagulation clinics, and patient self-management.
abstract: Despite its widespread use, oral anticoagulation therapy suffers from a number of problems that lead to underuse and inadequate treatment. Problems include its narrow therapeutic index, the influence of many concomitant conditions or comorbidities, and the need for high-quality dose management. Poor management of oral anticoagulation is a prime factor influencing the occurrence of adverse events. As a result of these problems, special programs or anticoagulation management services (AMSs) have developed to manage oral anticoagulation. Such programs have demonstrated a significant improvement in outcomes compared with traditional or usual care (UC) by individual physicians. With the introduction of point-of-care prothrombin time monitors, the potential for patient self-testing and self-management has developed. Studies show the possibility of even further improvement in outcomes compared with UC, although the differences from those achieved with an AMS are less impressive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. jack.ansell@bmc.org
authors.forename: Jack E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ansell
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D011517:Prothrombin Time / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin