Does self-monitoring or self-management of oral anticoagulation improve outcomes compared to standard monitoring in patients on oral anticoagulation?
Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anticoagulation using point-of-care devices may be a viable and potentially superior alternative to standard monitoring.
The introduction of portable monitors (pointof-care devices) for the management of patients on oral anticoagulation allows self-testing by the patient at home. Patients who self-test can either adjust their medication according to a pre-determined dose-INR schedule (self-management) or they can call a clinic to be told the appropriate dose adjustment (self-monitoring). Several trials of selfmonitoring of oral anticoagulant therapy suggest this may be equal to or better than standard monitoring.
García‐Alamino et al. (2010) studied this question.