[Oral anti-coagulants in an urban health centre. The first years results].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the management of oral anti-coagulation treatment (OAT) by family doctors and nurses from a health centre (HC) during its first year.

METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting. La Chana, an urban HC in Granada, covering 19,362 inhabitants in family care units.

METHODS

220 patients with acenocumarol prescribed during the year 2000. The criterion for inclusion was to have at least 3 OAT check-ups a year. 24 people were excluded.Interventions. Recruitment by personal invitation at the clinic. Capillary blood analyses and dose adjustments by the 10 nurses and 10 family doctors of the HC. Internationally recognised therapeutic ranges.

METHODS

Prevalence of OAT: prescriptions of acenocumarol. Recruitment: patients monitored at the HC.

METHODS

those found in the clinical records. Monitoring: % of patients with INR within range in final annual check-up.

RESULTS

rate of haemorrhages, thrombo-embolic accidents and other secondary effects.

RESULTS

196 patients followed OAT, a prevalence of 10.12 per thousand, with 19.6 patients per family doctor. The HC monitored 122 (62.24%); and the hospital, 74 (37.76%). The HC carried out 1,224 check-ups, 208 in the homes of 21 patients. There were 70.5% within the therapeutic range. Only 13% were in a situation of dose adjustment. Most common indications: non-rheumatic auricular fibrillation 65, TVP/TEP 27, mechanical cardiac prostheses 22. There were no fatal haemorrhages. Major haemorrhages ran at 2.22% of patients a year; and minor ones, at 6.68%. There were no thrombo-embolic accidents. There were two skin allergies.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed good results, in line with the findings of other studies.