Evaluation of anticoagulant therapy management in a teaching hospital in Tunisia: information and education for vitamin k antagonist newly treated patients need to be improved

Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the level of Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy knowledge among VKA newly treated patients. Methods Questionnaire-based interviews were administered in a university hospital to VKA newly treated patients covering both cognitive (i.e. indication, route of administration, treatment monitoring and side effects) and know-how (i.e. safety precautions, what affects anticoagulant therapy and the management of overdose signs) aspects of therapy knowledge. Key findings A total of 55 patients were included. The mean overall score of patients’ knowledge was 5.78 (SD = 3.425) out of 20. The mean scores of cognitive and practical knowledge were 3.8 (2.26) and 1.98 (1.78) out of 10, respectively. Factors associated with an insufficient level of VKA therapy knowledge included low level of education, lack of access to therapy information and continuous access to this information. Conclusions Knowledge about VKA therapy among newly treated patients is insufficient. Patient’s medication knowledge should be improved to ensure better adherence.

A mysterious resistance to acenocoumarol!

“…Consistent with a previous Tunisian study, a moderate negative correlation was found between patients' knowledge of VKA therapy and age [7]. Elderly patients and patients with lower education were more likely to have poor knowledge of the treatment.…”

“…Only onethird of the study patients were aware of the importance of VKA therapy monitoring and one-fifth knew how VKA treatment should be monitored. This lack of knowledge may be due to the fact that over one-third of the patients were illiterate [7]. Yet, other investigators reported similar findings among patients with a higher level of education [4].…”