Evaluation of warfarin management in primary health care centers in Qatar: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the national dataset

Abstract

Background: Warfarin management is associated with severe complications, highlighting the critical need to evaluate the quality of its administration. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of warfarin management for patients managed in primary healthcare centers by measuring the percentage of Time in Therapeutic Range (TTR) and the proportion of extreme out-of-range international normalized ratio (INR) values. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data was extracted from a national dataset retrieved from the largest primary healthcare provider in Qatar. TTR was calculated using the traditional method. Inferential and descriptive analyses were performed as appropriate. Results: Four hundred ninety-four patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean (SD) TTR was 45.3 % (17.5). This was significantly lower than the recommended cutoff value (P<0.001). Extreme out-of-range INR accounted for 24.7 % of total INR readings. Conclusions: The management of patients taking warfarin in Qatar is inadequate. More effective strategies are warranted to ensure safe and effective therapy.