title: Relationship between depression and non-adherence to anticoagulant therapy after valve replacement.
abstract: Management of anticoagulant therapy after mechanical valve replacement is difficult in developing countries because of patient non-adherence. The effect of depression on adherence to drug therapy and to a clinic visit schedule was evaluated for 62 patients who received prostheses. All were prescribed a once-per-day regimen of warfarin and were scheduled for three appointments at the anticoagulant clinic for dose adjustment at 3-week intervals. According to the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, 22 were depressed. Non-depressed patients were more compliant than depressed patients; adherence was inversely correlated with depression scores. While depression had no relationship with age, sex and cardiac symptoms, there was a relationship with anxiety and poor social support.
authors.affiliation: Annour Clinic, Red Crescent, Misurata, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Gatit
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: El-Gatit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin