The use of warfarin for DVT prophylaxis following hip and knee arthroplasty: how often are patients within their target INR range?

Nam, Denis; Sadhu, Anita; Hirsh, Jeffrey; Keeney, James A; Nunley, Ryan M; Barrack, Robert L · J Arthroplasty · 2015

prospective_cohort · Level II

Where this comes from

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of time that patients are therapeutic when prescribed warfarin for chemical thromboprophylaxis following a hip or knee arthroplasty procedure. One hundred eighty-four patients receiving warfarin for 4weeks postoperatively, dosed using a Web-application accounting for patient demographics, INR levels, and concomitant medication use, were included. Patients with a target INR range between 1.7 and 2.7 were therapeutic for only 54.4% of the time (32.5% subtherapeutic, 13.0% supratherapeutic) while patients with a target INR range between 2.0 and 3.0 were therapeutic for only 45.9% of the time (39.2% subtherapeutic, 14.8% supratherapeutic). Patients receiving warfarin for chemical thromboprophylaxis are within their targeted INR range for only a limited period of time during their postoperative course.

Medical subject headings

Anatomy