Naslov
Anticoagulant therapy in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation: an assessment of routine clinical practice in parts of north-western Croatia

Autori
Budinčević, Hrvoje ; Bielen, Ivan.

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Neurologia Croatica 54(Suppl 2) / - , 2005

Skup
45th International Neuropsychiatric Pula Symposium

Mjesto i datum
Pula, Hrvatska, 15.06.2005. - 18.06.2005

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
atrial fibrillation; stroke; anticoagulant therapy

Sažetak
AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the use of anticoagulant therapy in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation in routine clinical practice in some parts of north-western Croatia and to analyze the reasons therapy is omitted. METHODS AND MATERIAL: A retrospective review of patients who were presented to the neurology department with atrial fibrillation and diagnosed stroke in the period between 1st February 2004 and 31st January 2005. RESULTS: One hundred and one (101) patient was included. From the admitted patients 16.8 % were previously taking warfarin and 19.8 % patients were regularly taking acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). The proportion of patients receiving warfarin as a secondary prevention at discharge from the hospital specialized for acute stroke treatment was 36.5 %, ASA was prescribed in 57.1 % cases and in 6.3 % patients no antithrombotic therapy was recommended. In the group of patients in which no oral anticoagulant therapy was prescribed, this was done because of medical contraindications in 47 % of cases, but in 53 % of cases it was the result of the physician’s assessment and/or family decisions depending on the patient’s general and mental status and expected compliance. The patients in this group were significantly older than the patients to whom warfarin therapy was recommended (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with published guidelines (1, 2) our results showed that warfarin was underutilized in primary and partly in secondary prevention of stroke patients with atrial fibrillation. This situation is similar with figures recently published in other countries (3, 4, 5). The decision of prescribing or not prescribing warfarin in our region is significantly influenced by the physician's belief that higher age may be a relative contraindication for anticoagulants, but not for ASA treatment.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA