AVK

Prevention and management of thromboembolic events are historically based on the use of anti-vitamines K (AVK) and heparins. Since 2009, emerging direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) with successive validated indications, changed progressively the way of managing oral anticoagulation. The main advantages of this new generation of medication are a better safety profile and the lack of need for monitoring anticoagulation activity. However, a number of situations in clinical practice still require careful use of these DOAC...

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary embolism (PTE) represents a medical emergency and is the third most common cause of mortality after myocardial infarction and stroke. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics and management of patients with PTE admitted in a referral emergency hospital in Romania. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of PTE diagnosed in one of the largest emergency hospitals in Bucharest during a 2-year period (January 2014 - December 2016)...

Background: The SAMe-TT2R2 score was developed to predict which patients on oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) will reach an adequate time in therapeutic range (TTR) (> 65%-70%). Studies have reported a relationship between this score and the occurrence of adverse events. Objective: To describe the TTR according to the score, in addition to relating the score obtained with the occurrence of adverse events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) on oral anticoagulation with VKAs...

Intracardiac thrombosis is a rare complication of Behçet's disease (BD), which may manifest as intracardiac tumor. In half of cases, its detection precedes the diagnosis of MB. High mortality rates may be related to post-surgical complications and/or pulmonary arteries involvement. We report the case of a 29-year old young patient, with a previous history of bipolar aphthosis, who underwent surgery after the detection of right atrium and ventricle tumor. Anatomo-pathological examination showed thrombus and MB was diagnosed in the postoperative period...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the level of adherence to oral anticoagulants in the population of elderly patients treated for a non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in the era of direct oral anticoagulants. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This transversal study used Morisky scale to assess adherence to oral anticoagulants. We also collected patients' reviews about the treatment and factors explaining a poor adherence. RESULTS: Between January and June 2015, 64 patients were included in Loire Atlantique...

Anticoagulant rodenticides are commonly used to control rodent pests worldwide. They specifically inhibit the vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1), which is an enzyme encoded by the Vkorc1 gene, involved in the recycling of vitamin K. Therefore, they prevent blood clotting. Numerous mutations of Vkorc1 gene were reported in rodents, and some are involved in the resistant to rodenticides phenotype. Two hundred and sixty-six mice tails were received from 65 different locations in France. Coding sequences of Vkorc1 gene were sequenced in order to detect mutations...

Cardiovascular mortality of hemodialysis patients remains a major problem. The prevalence and incidence of atrial fibrillation in this population are more important than in the general population. The indication of antivitamin K therapy (AVK) in this context of atrial fibrillation must be weighted against the increased risk of bleeding. Unfortunately, and contrary to the general population, an indication of anticoagulation based on embolic or hemorrhagic risk scores is not as clearly established in the hemodialysis population...

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) develop bleeding and thrombotic tendencies, so the indication of anticoagulation at the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) is complex. AF is the most common chronic cardiac arrhythmia, and thromboembolism and ischemic stroke in particular are major complications. In recent years, new oral anticoagulant drugs have been developed, and they have shown superiority over the classical AVK in preventing stroke, systemic embolism and bleeding risk, constituting an effective alternative to those resources...

BACKGROUND: Central corneal thickness (CCT) is an important indicator of corneal status. Its measurement provides valid information about corneal physiological condition and possible changes associated with diseases, traumas, and hypoxia. It is an integral part for interpretation of intraocular pressure and glaucoma patient management and in prerefractive procedure assessment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the mean CCT among a normal Iraqi population and to correlate between CCT and age, gender, refraction, and corneal curvature...

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) remain the oral anticoagulant of choice in venous thromboembolic disease. These drugs are characterized by a large inter-individual variability requiring frequent dose tailoring. Genetic polymorphisms for cytochrome CYP2C9 and VKORC1 explain some of the variability, especially in warfarin and acenocoumarol responses. The aim of this study was to assess, in cell models, the role of ABC transporters in the intestinal transfer of the main coumarin derivatives (warfarin, acenocoumarol) and indanedione derivatives (phenindione, fluindione)...

AIM: Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a challenging clinical disorder often resulting in frustration for patients and physicians. Adherence issues are common and limited treatment evidence is an obstacle to effective care. Individual bias usually directs the treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcome and treatment strategies in consecutive MOH patients from a tertiary center. METHODS: Every consecutive patient seen between January and December 2014 with the diagnosis of MOH was included...

OBJECTIVE: The authors present the guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology concerning the management of epistaxis during antithrombotic therapy. METHODS: A review of the literature was performed by a multidisciplinary work group. Guidelines were drafted, then re-edited by a reading group independent of the work group to produce the final text. The proposed recommendations were graded A, B, C or expert opinion, on decreasing levels of evidence. RESULTS: Before any decision to modify antithrombotic treatment, it is recommended to screen for overdose and assess the risk of thrombosis...

Oral anticoagulant therapies with the anti-vitamin K drugs (AVK), warfarin, acenocoumarol and phenprocoumon, are employed in primary and secondary anti-thrombotic prophylaxis in patients with venous thromboembolism, atrial fibrillation and cardiac mechanical valves. However, a monitoring test such as the International Normalized Ratio (INR) is required. The periodic monitoring of this therapy entails discomfort for the patients. Telemedicine and telecare can provide significant aid in the management of this therapy allowing patients to perform the test at home or anywhere else with a portable device, i...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, with an estimated prevalence of 1-2% in North America and Europe. The increased prevalence of AF in Latin America is associated with an ageing general population, along with poor control of key risk factors, including hypertension. As a result, stroke prevalence and associated mortality have increased dramatically in the region. Therefore, the need for effective anticoagulation strategies in Latin America is clear. The aim of this review is to provide a contemporary overview of anticoagulants for stroke prevention...

In animal locomotion a tradeoff exists between stereotypy and flexibility: fast long-distance travelling (LDT) requires coherent regular motions, while local sampling and area-restricted search (ARS) rely on flexible movements. We report here on a posture control system in C. elegans that coordinates these needs. Using quantitative posture analysis we explain worm locomotion as a composite of two modes: regular undulations versus flexible turning. Graded reciprocal regulation of both modes allows animals to flexibly adapt their locomotion strategy under sensory stimulation along a spectrum ranging from LDT to ARS...

BACKGROUND: Antivitamin K anticoagulant (AVK) rodenticides are commonly used to control rodent pests worldwide. They specifically inhibit the VKORC1 enzyme essential for the recycling of vitamin K, and thus prevent blood clotting and cause death by haemorrhage. Numerous mutations or polymorphisms of the Vkorc1 gene were reported in rodents, and some led to resistance to rodenticides. In house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), adaptive introgression of the Vkorc1 gene from the Algerian mouse (Mus spretus) was reported...

Since the beginning of this century, information on pharmacogenetics appears in the summary of product characteristics (SPC) of drugs. Pharmacogenetic tests particularly concern the enzymes involved in the metabolism of drugs, among which P450 cytochromes. Some patients known as poor metabolisers eliminate some drugs more slowly, causing overdoses and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The best-known examples are AVK and VKORC1-CYP2C9 or clopidogrel and CYP2C19. In the USA, the tests are recommended before the introduction of these drugs to prevent the occurrence of ADRs...

PURPOSE: We conducted a cross-sectional study to test the hypothesis that the structural contributions to myopia in preterm and full-term born children are different. METHODS: In this study, 93 children ranging from ages 2 to 13 who had myopia ≥ -3 diopters in at least one eye were examined with A-scans. The following data was collected and analyzed: history of birth, refractive error (RE), cornea thickness (CT) and average corneal curvature (AVK), depth of anterior chamber (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and axial length (AL) of the eye...

INTRODUCTION: Chronic hemodialysis patients have disorders of hemostasis associated with End Stage Renal Disease, cardiovascular disease, and treatments they receive. They have more thrombotic and bleeding events than the general population. The balance of risks and benefits of drugs is not precisely defined. The aim of this study is to describe the practices patterns concerning oral anticoagulants (AVK) and antiplatelet agents (APA), and to investigate their impact on the survival and the occurrence of thrombotic and bleeding events...

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation increases thromboembolic risk. Oral anticoagulation with antivitamin K (AVK) reduces thromboembolic event rate, but increases hemorrhagic risk. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to describe long-term cerebral thromboembolic/hemorrhagic event rates in atrial fibrillation patients managed by rhythm control, pursued by atrial fibrillation transcatheter ablation (AFTCA), and rate control strategy. METHODS AND RESULTS: One thousand and five hundred consecutive patients referring to three medical care centers for atrial fibrillation were retrospectively divided into three groups: AFTCA maintaining AVK (group A); AFTCA discontinuing AVK (group B); and rate control strategy and AVK (group C)...