For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews
Getting the INR right is essential for patients with mechanical heart valves and on warfarin
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Practice
Getting the INR right is essential for patients with mechanical heart valves and on warfarin
Wednesday 28 August 2019, 03:00 AM

Patients with mechanical heart valves are at risk of thromboembolic complications and require lifelong anticoagulation. Cardiologist Chris Ellis discusses the dire consequences of targeting the wrong INR in a patient with a mitral valve replacement treated with warfarin
A 52-year-old part-time hospital cleaner comes to meet you for the first time. She had been discharged from hospital the day before with instructions
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa
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