TY - JOUR
T1 - Management of oral anticoagulant therapy in the real practice of an anticoagulation clinic
T2 - Focus on atrial fibrillation
AU - Poli, Daniela
AU - Antonucci, Emilia
AU - Lombardi, Alessandra
AU - Cecchi, Emanuele
AU - Gensini, Gian Franco
AU - Abbate, Rosanna
AU - Prisco, Domenico
PY - 2005/10
Y1 - 2005/10
N2 - Oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) is increasingly used for preventing venous thromboembolic and cardiovascular disease. Our study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OAT management in a real-practice situation, in particular in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Among 1596 consecutive unselected patients (follow-up, 3364 patient-years) referring to the Anticoagulation Clinic, 558 (follow-up, 958 patient-years) suffered from NVAF. Total bleeding events were recorded in 39/558 NVAF patients (rate, 4.2/100 patient-years) and in 132/1038 of all other patients (rate, 5.4/100 patient-years) (P <0.003). The rate of major bleeding and thrombotic complications was not different between NVAF patients and all the other patients. Considering NVAF patients, the rate of major bleeding was slightly higher in females than in males (P = 0.06). NVAF females showed a higher rate of stroke than males (P = 0.004). In NVAF patients the rate of bleeding complications was not different in relation to age; instead, total and major thrombotic events occurred more frequently in patients ≥ 75 years than in younger patients (P = 0.05 and P = 0.01, respectively). NVAF patients on OAT show a low rate of complications. However, females show a trend to higher risk of bleeding complications and suffered more frequently from stroke with respect to males in spite of therapy.
AB - Oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) is increasingly used for preventing venous thromboembolic and cardiovascular disease. Our study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OAT management in a real-practice situation, in particular in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Among 1596 consecutive unselected patients (follow-up, 3364 patient-years) referring to the Anticoagulation Clinic, 558 (follow-up, 958 patient-years) suffered from NVAF. Total bleeding events were recorded in 39/558 NVAF patients (rate, 4.2/100 patient-years) and in 132/1038 of all other patients (rate, 5.4/100 patient-years) (P <0.003). The rate of major bleeding and thrombotic complications was not different between NVAF patients and all the other patients. Considering NVAF patients, the rate of major bleeding was slightly higher in females than in males (P = 0.06). NVAF females showed a higher rate of stroke than males (P = 0.004). In NVAF patients the rate of bleeding complications was not different in relation to age; instead, total and major thrombotic events occurred more frequently in patients ≥ 75 years than in younger patients (P = 0.05 and P = 0.01, respectively). NVAF patients on OAT show a low rate of complications. However, females show a trend to higher risk of bleeding complications and suffered more frequently from stroke with respect to males in spite of therapy.
KW - Atrial fibrillation
KW - Bleeding
KW - Oral anticoagulant therapy
KW - Thrombotic complications
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M3 - Article
C2 - 16175008
AN - SCOPUS:29144486675
VL - 16
SP - 491
EP - 494
JO - Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis
JF - Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis
SN - 0957-5235
IS - 7
ER -