Tools for Assessing Patients’ Knowledge of Their Anticoagulation Therapy

Abstract

Oral anticoagulants, which are widely used in patients with cardiovascular diseases and thromboembolic disorders, among other indications, are high-risk drugs that require adequate control; therefore, it is important for patients to know and understand how they work, in order to achieve safe and effective use, as well as adequate adherence. Evidence has shown that assessing and increasing patients’ knowledge of their anticoagulation therapy leads to better clinical outcomes. In the present study, a search was carried out for developed instruments that assess patients’ knowledge of their anticoagulation therapy and a narrative review of the tools found. There are currently developed and validated five tools in different languages used in patients receiving both, vitamin K antagonists, and direct oral anticoagulants. However, in Spanish, there is still no validated tool that can be used in Spanish-speaking countries.