Anticoagulants current practices

Rheumatic mitral valve disease is associated with thromboembolic complications at reported rates of 1.5 to 4.7% per year the incidence in patients with mitral stenosis is approximately 1.5 to 2 times that in patients with mitral regurgitation. The presence of atrial fibrillation is the single most important risk factor for thromboembolism in valvular disease, increasing the incidence of thromboembolism in both mitral stenosis and regurgitation four- to sevenfold. In current practice, patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation at low risk for thromboembolism based on clinical characteristics frequently are treated with aspirin. Warfarin therapy is considered in higher-risk patients, especially those with previous thromboembolism and in whom anticoagulation is not contraindicated due to preexisting conditions. 

Owing to these rapid developments, several important issues related to current practices in anticoagulant therapy are recognized. Some of these issues include ... 

Sohn, J. et al. (2001). Current status of the anticoagulant hirudin its biotechnological production and clinical practice. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 57(5—6), 606—613. 

Deborah DeEugenio holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. She completed a post- doctoral residency in pharmacy practice at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. DeEugenio is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Certified Anticoagulation Provider. Dr. DeEugenio is currently an Assistant Professor at Temple University School of Pharmacy in Philadelphia. She also works at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital as a clinical pharmacist for Jefferson Heart Institute and Jefferson Antithrombotics Therapy Service. 

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