Ocular Bleeding Related to Warfarin Anticoagulation in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valve and Atrial Fibrillation

• Published in: Journal of international medical research Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 143 - 149
• Main Authors: Biyik, I, Mercan, I, Ergene, O, Oto, O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Anticoagulants - adverse effects; Anticoagulants - pharmacology; Atrial Fibrillation; Eye Diseases - chemically induced; Eye Diseases - epidemiology; Female; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Hemorrhage - chemically induced; Hemorrhage - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Warfarin - adverse effects; Warfarin - pharmacology; Anticoagulants; Warfarin; Ocular Bleeding; Mechanical heart valves; Haemorrhage; Atrial Fibrillation
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000703500116

We investigated the incidence of ocular bleeding in patients taking anticoagulant therapy (warfarin) and its association with other related factors. We examined 210 patients taking warfarin and 210 gender-and age-matched controls for ocular bleeding. Patients and controls were examined by external ocular examination and fundoscopic examination. The incidence of ocular bleeding was 11.4% in patients and 3.8% in controls. It was five times higher in patients with hypertension than in other patients. The incidence of ocular bleeding was higher in older than in younger patients. No association was found between ocular bleeding and factors such as gender, international normalized ratio, duration of warfarin therapy, concomitant aspirin use and diabetes mellitus. Thus, warfarin therapy increases the frequency of ocular bleeding. The higher incidence of ocular bleeding in the patients with hypertension and advanced age should be kept in mind and this subgroup of patients taking warfarin should be monitored closely.