Comparative evaluation of warfarin utilisation in two primary healthcare clinics in the Cape Town area

摘要

BackgroundAlthough warfarin remains the anticoagulant drug of choice in a wide range of patients, its narrow therapeutic window makes patients susceptible to a high risk of bleeding complications or failure to prevent clotting. This has necessitated therapeutic monitoring in warfarinised patients. Factors that could be responsible for the fluctuating responses to warfarin vary from pharmacogenetic to concomitant morbidity, diet and medication. In order to assess the quality of management of warfarin treatment in a local primary-care setting, the current study evaluated warfarin utilisation and monitoring records in two hospitals with different patient groups.