title: Outpatient oral anticoagulation in Poland in 2012: a single centre experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral anticoagulants reduce embolic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and are used in the treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism. In Poland, chronic oral anticoagulation is usually managed by primary care physicians, and the most commonly used drugs are vitamin K antagonists (VKA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate effectiveness of oral anticoagulation in 104 patients receiving chronic VKA treatment in primary care from Jan 01, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis of data of 104 patients receiving chronic VKA treatment in a primary care practice (Niepubliczny Zakład Opieki Zdowotnej ESCULAP Gniewkowo) from Jan 01, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011. These patients comprised 1.1% of the population remaining under care of this primary care practice. We determined minimum, maximum and mean values of the international normalised ratio (INR), the proportion of results within the therapeutic range, the number of INR measurements, and indications for anticoagulant treatment. In patients with AF, we determined the risks of bleeding complications and thrombotic events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among patients receiving chronic VKA treatment, 56.84% of INR measurements were within the therapeutic range. Only 29.8% of patients had more than 70% of INR measurements within the therapeutic range. We found no association between the number of INR measurements and treatment effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of anticoagulation in primary care is unsatisfactory. In our study population, an acceptable time in the therapeutic range was achieved in only just below 30% of patients.
authors.affiliation: NZOZ ESCULAP Gniewkowo, Gniewkowo, Poland. tadziude@wp.pl.
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dereziński
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wąsikowska
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Strzeboński
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawień
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014812:Vitamin K