Varfarina e femprocumona: experiência de um ambulatório de anticoagula？？o

background: oral anticoagulants are broadly used in cardiology. however, it is still necessary to evaluate their use in clinical practice. objectives: to describe the differences in the maintenance of anticoagulation control, as well as the incidence of hemorrhagic and thromboembolic events among users of warfarin and phenprocoumon. methods: non-concurrent cohort study of 127 patients using oral anticoagulation. results: phenprocoumon was the most frequently used anticoagulant in 60% of the patients. the prevalence of rni<2 at the last medical appointment was higher among warfarin users (46% vs. 19.5%; p<0.001). during the follow-up, phenprocoumon users were within the therapeutic range during 60.7% of the period, in comparison with 45.6% of warfarin users (or:1.84; 95%ci:1.59-2.13; p<0.001). the incidence of bleeding was 5.3/100 patients/year in the phenprocoumon group versus 18.8/100 patients/year in the warfarin group (rr: 3.5; 95%ci: 1.87-6.48; p<0.001). conclusion: patients that used warfarin remained at subtherapeutic levels for a longer period; however, they also presented more hemorrhagic events. phenprocoumon users were younger and had been using oral anticoagulation for longer periods, presenting fewer drug-related adverse events.