acenocoumarol and Arteriosclerosis

Cholesterol crystal embolization is a well-known disorder resulting from release of cholesterol crystals from ulcerous atherosclerotic plaques. Gastrointestinal involvement occurs in about a third of cases, but it is usually asymptomatic. We report a case of an old woman with small bowel obstruction secondary to atheromatous embolism. She was treated by acenocoumarol for atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism. Two weeks before admission for small bowel obstruction, she had a watery diarrhea. After 3 weeks of parenteral nutrition, she underwent resection of the involved ileum. Pathological examination showed a small bowel stricture secondary to atheromatous embolism. Cholesterol emboli should be considered as a potential cause of small bowel obstruction in old patient who has taken anticoagulant therapy or after vascular invasive procedure.

Topics: Acenocoumarol; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anticoagulants; Arteriosclerosis; Atrial Fibrillation; Embolism, Cholesterol; Female; Humans; Intestinal Obstruction; Intestine, Small; Ischemia; Pulmonary Embolism

Although the indications for oral anticoagulation (AO) in the treatment of cerebral vascular disease (CVD) are well established, their potential side effects continue to give cause for worry.. To describe the complications and ischemic relapses in patients treated with AO for secondary prevention of CVD of cardiac embolic origin.. We included 169 patients with embologenic cardiopathy who, following an CVD, were treated with AO and followed-up at our medical centre for at least three months. We recorded their past clinical history and risk factors, occurrence of vascular relapses (VR), complications involving hemorrhage (CH), and data regarding course and follow-up.. During an average follow-up of 50.3 months of a total of 707.9 patient/years, 20 VR (2.8% per year) were recorded; 15 of these were cerebro-vascular and mainly mild. We recorded 59 CH in 41 patients (8.3% per year) of which 6 were considered to be major. There was a 30% drop-out rate from follow-up at our centre, mainly due to death from other causes or to change of referral centre.. There is a low incidence of relapse and of complications (usually mild) following AO for the secondary prevention of CVD of cardio-embolic origin. Efficacy and security are maintained in the long term.

Topics: Acenocoumarol; Administration, Oral; Alcoholism; Anticoagulants; Arteriosclerosis; Atrial Fibrillation; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus; Disease-Free Survival; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Valve Diseases; Hemorrhage; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypertension; Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis; Life Tables; Myocardial Infarction; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Smoking; Spain; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Acenocoumarol; Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anticoagulants; Arteriosclerosis; Embolism; Factor VII; Factor X; Female; Humans; Kinetics; Male; Middle Aged; Prothrombin; Prothrombin Time; Thromboembolism; Time Factors

Topics: Acenocoumarol; Adult; Aged; Arteriosclerosis; Dicumarol; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Thromboangiitis Obliterans; Transaminases

Topics: Acenocoumarol; Ambulatory Care; Arteriosclerosis; Heparin; Humans; Hypertension