Clinical profile, adherence, and therapy satisfaction of patients in use of oral anticoagulants

Abstract

Introduction: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is commonly used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Non-adherence to treatment is believed to be one of the major issues relating to therapeutic failure, increasingthe rates of morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To describe the clinical profile, adhesion levels, and therapeuticsatisfaction of valvulopathy patients using oral anticoagulants. Methods: Cross-sectional, quantitative,and descriptive study conducted in the Oral Anticoagulation Outpatient Service of the Federal University ofUberlândia. After the consent of the participants, clinical interviews were conducted and the tools of assessment of treatment adherence (MAT) and satisfaction with anticoagulant therapy (DASS) were implemented.The study was approved by the local ethics committee – 82152/2012. Descriptive statistics and correlationanalysis were performed. Results: A total of 39 patients participated in the study, of which 59% were male.Regarding MAT, 74.36% of patients proved to be adherent to treatment (MAT), and the average therapeuticsatisfaction was 110.67 points (DASS). The main indication for the use of OAC was atrial fibrillation (38.46%)and warfarin was the OAC of choice (84.61%). The MAT was related to the limited area of the DASS (r=-0.2583; p=0.0556), as well as the overload (r=-0.5398, p=0.0004) and positive psychological aspects (r=0.3641,p=0.0124). The MAT relative to the total DASS showed a negative and weak but significant correlation (r=-0.3543, p=0.0145). Conclusion: It is required to pay attention to non-adherent individuals in order to increasethe quality of life related to health and reduce complications regarding therapy.