Abstract

Published data suggest that rates of thromboembolism and bleeding, in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses, can be very small by optimizing current anticoagulant therapy. To evaluate the occurrence of complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses undergoing anticoagulant therapy optimized through specialized clinics. We studied the occurrence of complications over 10 years in 261 anticoagulated patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses, followed in specialized clinics. These patients were divided into two groups according to percentage of queries with prothrombin time (INR) within the desired range: G1-0% to 50.00% and G2-50.01% to 100% of appointments. We evaluated the occurrence of thromboembolic and bleeding complications in their entirety or subdivided into major and minor, according to gravity. The results are presented in an actuarial study and frequency of occurrence of linear events. The actuarial study showed that, over time, more G2 (with 50.01% to 100% of the consultations with INR in desired range) more patients were free of the occurrence of any event, of minor bleeding events or the marked increase of RNI. The linearized frequency of occurrence in all types events, were also lower in group G2. The period of time that patients that remain within the desired anticoagulation interval has directly relations with occurrence of complications. Even with careful follow-up at a specialized outpatient unit, only approximately one third of the patients showed an adequate anticoagulation level in more than half of the consultations.

Highlights

  • It has been shown in many publications that patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses must be kept continuously anticoagulated, aiming to reduce the risk of thromboembolic complications [1,2,3,4,5,6].In Brazil, studies were conducted to evaluate complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses [7,8,9].The anti-vitamin K drugs are among the most used worldwide

  • The actuarial study showed that, over time, in GROUP 2 (G2) more patients were free of the occurrence of any event type, minor bleeding events or the accentuated increase of INR

  • The linearized frequency of occurrence in all event types was lower in group G2

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Summary

Introduction

It has been shown in many publications that patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses must be kept continuously anticoagulated, aiming to reduce the risk of thromboembolic complications [1,2,3,4,5,6].In Brazil, studies were conducted to evaluate complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses [7,8,9].The anti-vitamin K drugs are among the most used worldwide. Published data suggest that rates of thromboembolism and bleeding in patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses can be greatly reduced if anticoagulant therapy is optimized. Objectives: To evaluate the occurrence of complications in patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valves undergoing anticoagulant therapy optimized by means of specialized clinics. Methods: We studied the occurrence of complications during 10 years in 261 patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses with anticoagulation and followed up in specialized clinics. These patients were divided into two groups according to percentage of consultations with prothrombin time (INR) within the desired range: G1-0% to 50.00% and G2-50, 01% to 100% of the consultations. The results are presented in an actuarial study and linearized frequency of occurrence of events

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