The adequacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy with warfarin at the medical outpatient clinic of an academic hospital
Warfarin Monitoring Challenges: INR Testing Barriers Put Patients in Resource-Limited Settings at Risk!
Warfarin remains the mainstay long-term oral anticoagulant in the public sector; newer agents are available only in special situations such as in cases of warfarin allergy. Regular monitoring of the international normalised ratio (INR) is the gold standard for assessing the adequacy of treatment with warfarin. INR determinations are inconvenient and expensive for patients in resource-limited settings as they involve frequent travel. Our hospital serves predominantly indigent communities who might find it hard to adhere to these regular checks, placing them at risk for the complications of over-or-under anticoagulation.
Click here to access the article.