A Patient’s Guide to Anticoagulation Management and Stroke Prevention

This course is designed to give patients and carers the knowledge, skills and confidence to monitor oral anticoagulation therapy. The material available online is supplemented with an online forum that gives learners the opportunity to discuss the material viewed, to share experiences, and to develop support networks for the future. Highly-skilled mentors provide local support and skills-based learning.

After completing this course, the learner will be able to:

• Describe the benefits of anticoagulation self-monitoring.
• Successfully test their INR using a coagulometer.
• Describe how anticoagulants affect blood clotting.
• Summarise what the INR means, and how the dose of warfarin is adjusted according to the INR result.
• Summarise how other medicines, diet and alcohol affect the INR.
• Identify the common side effects of warfarin and how to manage these.
• Describe their responsibilities, and those of the anticoagulant clinic, when they are self-monitoring their oral anticoagulation.
• Engage more effectively in consultations with their anticoagulation practitioner.
• To request further information please get in touch.