Optimal Oral Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valves

摘要: Background The optimal intensity of oral anticoagulant therapy for patients with mechanical heart valves (i.e., the level at which thromboembolic complications are effectively prevented without excessive bleeding) is not known. We attempted to determine by calculating incidence both different levels anticoagulation. Methods Data were collected on all who have been seen four regional Dutch anticoagulation clinics since 1985. primary outcome events episodes thromboembolism or major bleeding. intensity-specific each type event was calculated as number that occurred a certain (expressed in terms international normalized ratio [INR]) divided patient-years during INR this total patient population. Results A 1608 followed 6475 patient-years. Cerebral embolism occur...