Efficacy and safety of long-term anticoagulation therapy with warfarin in elderly patients with pulmonary thromboembolism
10.3760/cma.j.issn.1673-4904.2010.25.006
- VernacularTitle:老年肺栓塞患者华法林长期抗凝治疗的效果与安全性评价
- Author:
Tuguang KUANG
;
Yuanhua YANG
;
Wanmu XIE
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Aged;
Pulmonary embolism;
Warfarin
- From:
Chinese Journal of Postgraduates of Medicine
2010;33(25):15-17
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-term anticoagulation therapy with warfarin in elderly patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and the maintenance dosage of warfarin,and provide evidence for anticoagulation therapy. Methods Twenty elderly patients ( ≥65 years old) with PTE whose anticoagulation therapy duration exceeded 12 months were included into this study. The hemorrhage event, recurrence event and the maintenance dosage of warfarin in each patient were determined by the follow-up record. Results Six male patients and 14 female patients [(73.55 ± 5.76) years old] were diagnosed as PTE by CT pulmonary arteriography(CTPA). The average duration of follow-up was (22.60 ± 11.45 ) months. No fatal hemorrhage event such as cerebral hemorrhage was found during the course of long term anticoagulation therapy, and mild hemorrhage was found in 5 patients, including 1 patient with gingiva hemorrhage, 1 patient with epistaxis, 1 patient with hemoptysis, 1 patient with ecchymosis in the left leg and 1 patient with conjunctiva hemorrhage. PTE recurrence emerged in 1 patient and the recurrence rate was 5%.No change was found in the maintenance dosage of warfarin during the course of long-term anticoagulation therapy and the average dosage of warfarin was about 3.5 mg with sufficient anticoagulation therapy.Conclusions Long-term anticoagulation therapy with warfarin in elderly patients with PTE is safe and efficacious. The maintenance dosage of warfarin is about 3.5 mg, and detecting the international normalized ratio regularly is necessary.
