Mechanical heart valve patients can manage oral anticoagulant therapy themselves
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Mechanical heart valve patients can manage oral anticoagulant therapy themselves. / Christensen, Thomas D.; Andersen, Niels T; Attermann, Jørn; Hjortdal, Vibeke E; Maegaard, Marianne; Hasenkam, J Michael.
In: European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Vol. 23, No. 3, 03.2003, p. 292-8.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Mechanical heart valve patients can manage oral anticoagulant therapy themselves
AU - Christensen, Thomas D.
AU - Andersen, Niels T
AU - Attermann, Jørn
AU - Hjortdal, Vibeke E
AU - Maegaard, Marianne
AU - Hasenkam, J Michael
PY - 2003/3
Y1 - 2003/3
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Thromboembolism and anticoagulant related bleeding are still the most common complications in mechanical heart valve patients. Management of the oral anticoagulant therapy is therefore a key determinant for these clinical complications. We hypothesize that patients selected to self-managed oral anticoagulant therapy have a better treatment quality than patients in conventional oral anticoagulant therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the time within the therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) target range and the incidence of clinical complications in our group of patients, and compare these data with published data on conventional management.METHODS: Mechanical heart valve patients (N=94) with a mean age of 47.6 years (range 4.2-76.6 years) were trained in home blood analysis of INR using a CoaguChek home coagulometer and coumarin dosage adjustment. After training, the patients were followed by weekly INR measurements. The therapeutic range was a target INR +/-0.5. The indications for initiating oral anticoagulant therapy were: aortic valve (N=62), mitral valve (N=29), tricuspid valve (N=1) and multiple valves (N=2).RESULTS: The mean observation time was 2.1 years (range 0.04-6.2 years), and the total number of patient-years was 197. The patients were within the therapeutic INR target range for a median of 76.0% (range 32.1-100.0%) of the time. There were two major thromboembolic events and five major bleedings events, comprised of two deep vein thromboses (both in the same patient), four episodes of epistaxis and one case of gastrointestinal bleeding. All the events required short hospitalization, and after treatment all the patients were discharged from the hospital without any sequelae or other complications. Using published work as references the expected number of major thromboembolic and bleeding complications in conventional management was four and 12, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Self-management of oral anticoagulant therapy provides a good treatment quality for mechanical heart valve patients. We therefore consider self-management of oral anticoagulant therapy as an equally as good or potentially better treatment option for selected patients compared to conventional management.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Thromboembolism and anticoagulant related bleeding are still the most common complications in mechanical heart valve patients. Management of the oral anticoagulant therapy is therefore a key determinant for these clinical complications. We hypothesize that patients selected to self-managed oral anticoagulant therapy have a better treatment quality than patients in conventional oral anticoagulant therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the time within the therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) target range and the incidence of clinical complications in our group of patients, and compare these data with published data on conventional management.METHODS: Mechanical heart valve patients (N=94) with a mean age of 47.6 years (range 4.2-76.6 years) were trained in home blood analysis of INR using a CoaguChek home coagulometer and coumarin dosage adjustment. After training, the patients were followed by weekly INR measurements. The therapeutic range was a target INR +/-0.5. The indications for initiating oral anticoagulant therapy were: aortic valve (N=62), mitral valve (N=29), tricuspid valve (N=1) and multiple valves (N=2).RESULTS: The mean observation time was 2.1 years (range 0.04-6.2 years), and the total number of patient-years was 197. The patients were within the therapeutic INR target range for a median of 76.0% (range 32.1-100.0%) of the time. There were two major thromboembolic events and five major bleedings events, comprised of two deep vein thromboses (both in the same patient), four episodes of epistaxis and one case of gastrointestinal bleeding. All the events required short hospitalization, and after treatment all the patients were discharged from the hospital without any sequelae or other complications. Using published work as references the expected number of major thromboembolic and bleeding complications in conventional management was four and 12, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Self-management of oral anticoagulant therapy provides a good treatment quality for mechanical heart valve patients. We therefore consider self-management of oral anticoagulant therapy as an equally as good or potentially better treatment option for selected patients compared to conventional management.
KW - Administration, Oral
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Anticoagulants/administration & dosage
KW - Child
KW - Child, Preschool
KW - Drug Monitoring/methods
KW - Female
KW - Follow-Up Studies
KW - Heart Valve Prosthesis
KW - Hemorrhage/chemically induced
KW - Humans
KW - International Normalized Ratio
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Patient Education as Topic/methods
KW - Postoperative Care/methods
KW - Prospective Studies
KW - Self Administration
KW - Self Care
KW - Thromboembolism/prevention & control
U2 - 10.1016/s1010-7940(02)00817-5
DO - 10.1016/s1010-7940(02)00817-5
M3 - Review
C2 - 12614796
VL - 23
SP - 292
EP - 298
JO - European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery
JF - European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery
SN - 1010-7940
IS - 3
ER -
ID: 243519440