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IN THIS ISSUE |
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Brief Interruption of Warfarin - Low Risk of Thrombotic
Events
Joint Commission 2008 National Patient Safety Goals
Dawn AC 19th Benchmarking Run
Dawn AC User Survey
Comparative Study of Anticoagulation Care
Anticoagulation and Airbags - Dangerous Combination
Warfarin Drug stolen from Woman
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Welcome to
the January edition of the
DAWN AC Anticoagulation Software E-Newsletter for 2008.
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Brief Interruption of Warfarin Treatment has Low Risk of
Thrombotic Events |
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 According
to a prospective study published on the 15th of January this
year, a short interruption of warfarin for a minor outpatient
procedure has a low risk of a thrombotic event, with continued
treatment resulting in a significant risk of bleeding.
There are
currently no specific guidelines as to whether to continue,
stop or bridge patients on anticoagulants during a procedure,
and surveys carried out have pointed to a large variation in
processes for this across health care facilities.
The US
study used data on over 1000 patients and concluded that the
risk of a thrombotic event after an interruption of warfarin
therapy for 5 days was low.
The
researchers suggested peri-operative anticoagulation may not
been needed in long-term patients. Bridging may result in an
increased risk of bleeding, and so further trials may be
required on this to establish to advantages and disadvantages.
It was
mentioned that although the study was quite big in size, the
number of events were small, and so this study could not make
any definitive conclusions regarding the therapy needs of any
particular patient. It may however provide some help when
healthcare professionals make decisions on whether to stop,
continue or bridge a patient during a procedure.
To view
more of this article, follow the link below:
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Joint Commission in USA Releases 2008 National Patient
Safety Goals
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The Joint Commission's Board of Commissioners in the USA
approved the National Patient Safety goals for 2008 late last
year, with a new goal specifically for anticoagulation this
year expected to be implemented by accredited healthcare
organisations by January 2009. This new goal is as follows:
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"Reduce the likelihood of patient harm associated with the
use of anticoagulation therapy. [Ambulatory, critical
access hospital, home care, hospital, long term care,
office-based surgery]"
The Joint Commission will survey all accredited healthcare
organisations for the implementation of all applicable goals
as of January 1, 2008.
To read more of this article, follow the link below:
What does this mean for Dawn AC users? Please let us know by
sending an email to sales@4s-dawn.com
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Dawn AC Nineteenth Benchmarking
Run |
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Eighty-two
centres from around the world participated in the 19th
Benchmarking run recently, analysing data for the period May 2007
to October 2007. Data from 216,000 patients with over 1,700,000
INRs across four target INR ranges were analysed.
Here is a
summary of the results produced (across all target ranges and all
time periods):
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Site |
% time in
range |
% time above
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% time below |
% of INRs > 5 |
% of INRs <
1.3 |
| Best |
75.69 |
10.27 |
14.05 |
0.71 |
1.00 |
| Worst |
56.61 |
14.34 |
29.05 |
3.13 |
6.39 |
| Average |
68.71 |
13.88 |
17.41 |
1.92 |
2.85 |
Participating
members should have received their comprehensive reports showing
how they have performed over the last six months.
If you are not a benchmarking participant and would like more
information, then please email us at
sales@4s-dawn.com.
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Dawn AC User Survey - Deadline
31st of January 2008 |
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We recently sent out a Dawn AC User survey to our customers and
benchmarking participants, in order to find out about the type and
scale, roles and responsibilities and procedural methods of
typical healthcare organisations.
The survey covers the following areas:
Type and Scale of Services
Analysis of Staffing
Responsibilities
Procedures and Performance
Once the data has been collected this will be made available to
all who participated in the survey via the internet.
This information can help when seeking funding for any service
improvements you have planned, and so if you have not completed
our survey yet then please consider doing so before the 31st of
January 2008 deadline.
If you are a Dawn AC user who has not received a survey via email,
and would like to participate, then please email us at
sales@4s-dawn.com.
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Comparative Study of Anticoagulation Care Against Usual
Care in Monitoring Non Valvular AF Patients
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A US study
published recently has suggested that anticoagulation services
have a positive impact on therapy outcomes, and points to the
importance of providing these services to patients on
anticoagulants.
The study
used data from 1107 patients, 351 registered with an
anticoagulation clinic, and 756 'usual care' patients, and
estimated the time in range and the time until a first major
event (bleed or stroke) between March 2001 and March 2004.
It was
found that the patients registered with an anticoagulation
clinic spent more time in therapeutic range, and were 59% less
likely to have a bleed following the index date that usual
care patients.
The read more of this article, follow the link below:
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Oral Anticoagulation and Air Bags: Dangerous Combination
in Accidents |
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Researchers in Austria have produced a case report which
suggests that patients on anticoagulants are at risk of
injuries when an air bag is deployed during a low-speed car
accident.
Although air bags are known to significantly reduce the risk
of serious injury in car accidents, the report highlights the
case of a 65 year old woman who was admitted to hospital after
receiving a blunt air bag related trauma to the head during a
low speed car accident. The woman was examined and medics
found no external injuries, with the patient experiencing no
symptoms such as headaches and nausea. However, a CT scan
revealed a discrete subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the woman
died shortly after following a hematoma. The woman had been
receiving anticoagulant therapy for the past two years for
chronic atrial fibrillation.
It was concluded that maintaining an adequate distance to an
air bag may reduce the risk of head injury, and patients
should be aware of the potential risk when in a car.
To access more of this article, follow the link below:
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Warfarin Drug Stolen from Woman
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Police are in
search of thieves who snatched the drug warfarin from a woman
recently. The incident occurred in Penwortham, Lancashire, last
week when two males approached the woman as she was walking along
the road. The woman had just picked up her warfarin medication
from the chemist before she was approached.
The men snatched the woman's bag from her and stamped on her foot
when she tried to resist. The pair then ran off with the bag.
DS John Cass,
of South Ribble CID, said: "The woman has been left very shaken
and is obviously concerned at the missing medication because of
the dangers that could arise. It is not clear what quantity of the
drug was taken but it was a full prescription."
Police are
currently appealing for witnesses to come forward.
To read more
of this article, follow the link below:
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