[Comparison of quality and hemorragic risk of oral anticoagulant therapy using acenocoumarol versus warfarin].
OBJECTIVE
Long half life oral anticoagulants have shown a higher anticoagulation stability and a lower hemorragic risk than those of a short half life. We have compared therapeutic stability and hemorragic risk of acenocoumarol versus warfarin in 2 groups of patients on preventive anticoagulation because of atrial fibrilation (international normalised ratio [INR]: 2-3).


METHODS
Data on 120 patients treated with acenocoumarol and 120 on warfarin treatment who had started and continued treatment in our hospital for a minimum of a year was collected.


RESULTS
The percentage of visits within the intended range of INR (2 to 3) was 65.5% with warfarin and 63.4% with acenocoumarol. Thirty percent of patients on warfarin had 75% or more of their controls within range, while for those treated with acenocoumarol this percentage was 22.5%. In the acenocoumarol group, 0.3 visits/patient/year presented an INR > or = 6 versus 0.07 in the warfarin group (p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients treated with acenocoumarol show a higher risk of presenting with an INR > or = 6, but no statistically significant differences are observed in therapeutic stability.
Oliva Berini
Elvira
E
Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Mateu Orfila, Maó, Illes Balears, España. elvira.oliva@hgmo.es
Galán Alvarez
Pilar
P
Pacheco Onrubia
Ana María
AM
D000074:Acenocoumarol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin; D000074:Acenocoumarol