Therapeutic management of users with oral anticoagulant therapy

Abstract

Objective: Characterize the users of oral anticoagulant therapy; to find out about treatment regimen management and to estimate International Normalized Ratio (INR) assessment costs. Methodology: Descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study with 83 users of oral anticoagulant therapy from a primary health care centre in Alentejo (Portugal). Data collection occurred with the application of a questionnaire designed for the purpose. Results: It was found that 50.6% reported that they did not know what clotting is; 49.4%, what oral anticoagulants are; 63.9%, what the complications are of oral anticoagulant therapy. Only 27.7% know the foods that interfere with this therapy, and 51.8% mentioned that they knew what to do in the event of injury, tooth extraction or surgery. INR assessment costs in the laboratory are higher than in the primary health care centre. Conclusions: Gaps in knowledge regarding coagulation, food interference and treatment regimen were identified. The decentralisation of nursing appointments enables costs to be reduced, improves accessibility and management of the treatment regimen.