Sayeed Nasser|Judy Mullan|Beata Bajorek
Challenges of Older Patients’ Knowledge About Warfarin Therapy
University of Sydney|University of Wollongong|University of Technology Sydney
objective review challenges warfarin education older patients aged 65 years older terms knowledge access warfarin education education resources methods quasisystematic review literature performed via electronic database searches eg medline embase cumulative index nursing allied health literature international pharmaceutical abstracts meditext google scholar 1990 may 2011 results 62 articles reviewed found improved patient knowledge results better anticoagulation control review also found 50 80 older patients inadequate knowledge basic aspects warfarin therapy eg action benefits risks interactions drugs foods international normalized ratio management demographic factors advancing age lower family income limited health literacy found inversely affect patients warfarin knowledge access warfarin education information resources often suboptimal different practice settings finally number educational strategies resources could readily incorporated improve effectiveness current warfarin education programs extracted review conclusion comprehensive review highlights education warfarin older patients currently suboptimal may part contribute poor therapeutic outcomes review article also acknowledges need identify target develop educational strategies resources improve older patients knowledge warfarin therapy