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Published on: February 28, 2012
The oral anticoagulants’ burden
Catherine Plotton1, Camille Mouyer1, Pierre Michelland1
1Département de médecine générale, Faculté de médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Saint-Étienne, France
Background:
Oral anticoagulants generate a burden of care that can affect the patient’s quality of life. The concept of treatment’s burden measures the impact of medical care for the patient’s quality of life. Various factors can exacerbate the burden. Several studies have assessed the satisfaction of patients treated with oral anticoagulants.
Objective:
This study has assessed the burden of patients treated with oral anticoagulants.
Methods:
An analytical cross-sectional study of patients recruited from pharmacies in the Loire. A questionnaire was carried out using the anti-clot treatment scale, assessing satisfaction, and the Zarit scale, assessing the burden on carers of demented patients.
Results:
Anticoagulants were a burden for 41% (n = 158) of the 389 responding patients. Anticoagulants’ burden was higher when oral anticoagulant was responsible for side effects, anxiety or lifestyle changes.
Conclusion:
The patients could be satisfied with the benefit of the treatment, satisfied with its practical modalities, and describe modifications of lifestyle habits contributing to the burden of the treatment.
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