Analysis of patients admitted to the emergency service for warfarin complication and determination of their levels of knowledge and requirements of knowledge about warfarin use

Abstract

Warfarin is a cumarol derivative anticoagulant. It shows its effect by antagoniz- ing the effects of Vitamin K. Warfarin is metabolized in the liver. International normalized ratio has been developed in the monitorization of warfarin. It is a drug which has a limited therapeutic index. The difference in sensitivity for therapy dose among individuals depends on the genetic polymorphism of the two enzymes in the liver. The objective of our study was to assess the informa- tion about the demographic characteristics, complications, treatments and the related factors of the patients who were admitted to our emergency service for high INR in routine controls and of the cases who had bleeding due to warfarin overdose. Of the 18-year-old and older patients who were admitted to our emer- gency service with a complaint related to warfarin use and who had been using warfarin on admission and patients who had an INR value of over 3.0 although the patient had no complaints, those who accepted to participate in the study were included in the study. The results of the demographic characteristics, com- plications and treatments of the 59 patients included in the study were in paral- lel with the literature. The rate of patients’ being informed was found as 61%. Although difference was found when the demographic data of the informed and non-informed groups and their answers to the questions asked for warfarin in- formation level were compared, no statistically significant difference was found (p>0.005). This brings to mind that the information given to patients at the time of first prescription is not sufficient and it does not turn into a regular training. 

Keywords

• Drug information,Emergency Service,Warfarin,Warfarin complication

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