Anticoagulation

Transcript

There are approximately 1.25 million people living in the UK, that are on long-term anticoagulation therapy to treat conditions such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The need for anticoagulation is expected to increase in coming years as the UK population ages and the rates of atrial fibrillation (AF) rise. Anticoagulants are one of the classes of medicines most frequently identified as having a greater potential to cause serious patient harm if prescribed, dispensed or administered incorrectly. As we are seeing a greater number of patients on anticoagulants and in particular on the new oral anticoagulants, we as pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have a vital role in supporting our patients by providing appropriate information to patients and their carers to help them manage their therapy more effectively. Use our learning programmes to develop your knowledge and skills to support patients adhere to their anticoagulant therapy, to work within the best practice guidance and improve the safe use of anticoagulants.

Anticoagulants are one of the classes of medicines most frequently identified as having a greater potential to cause serious patient harm if prescribed, dispensed or administered incorrectly. This e-learning programme is designed to equip learners with the knowledge to deliver a safe and supportive service to patients prescribed anticoagulants including the newer oral anticoagulants.

Please note: this e-learning programme has been developed and provided by the Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development (NICPLD). Users should recognise that this programme will refer to Northern Ireland's policies and organisations. After ordering this programme, you will be redirected to their website where the resource is hosted. Please be aware that CPPE does not maintain control over the accuracy and currency of this programme.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• state the indications for anticoagulant therapy
• describe the mode of action of the oral and parenteral anticoagulants that are currently available
• advise on the importance of regular INR monitoring for coumarin anticoagulants
• identify and resolve common medicines management issues for anticoagulated patients
• follow best practice guidance to improve safe use of anticoagulants
• promote safe use of anticoagulants for pregnant women
• provide appropriate information to patients and their carers to help them manage their therapy more effectively.

The aim of this e-course is to develop your knowledge and skills in cardiovascular therapeutics. This will enable you to provide a person-centred approach to support the healthcare of people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It is designed for pharmacy professionals working in all areas of practice.

To facilitate your learning, we have structured the course into seven units. Some units are larger than others, but we estimate that you will need to commit an average of three hours of learning for each unit.

• Unit 1 – Introduction to cardiovascular therapeutics
• Unit 2 – Atrial fibrillation
• Unit 3 – Blood pressure
• Unit 4 – Cholesterol
• Unit 5 – Stable angina
• Unit 6 – Acute coronary syndrome
• Unit 7 – Heart failure

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme, you should be able to:

• describe the anatomy and function of the cardiovascular system
• explain the changes to cardiovascular system anatomy and function occurring in common cardiovascular conditions
• identify opportunities to develop your role and professional networks to deliver holistic and seamless care for people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• apply your knowledge of medicines and cardiovascular guidelines to support evidence-based decisions and medicines optimisation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
• demonstrate a shared decision making approach to the care of people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• create a personal action plan that describes the actions you will take to support people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course programme, and assesses you on the learning outcomes in that programme. 

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment completes the learning you began with the CPPE Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course. Access and successful completion will contribute to your own personal development plan, be recorded in your My CPPE record and will enable you to complete a CPD entry on the learning. It may also provide evidence for achieving competencies in the RPS Foundation or Advanced Pharmacy Frameworks. If you are working towards completing a Declaration of Competence for a pharmacy service, successful completion of this assessment will provide evidence of your learning.

Written by expert consultants and clinical scientists currently practising in the UK, the BSH Guidelines provide up-to-date evidence-based guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of haematological diseases.

This guideline covers diagnosing and managing atrial fibrillation in adults. It includes guidance on providing the best care and treatment for people with atrial fibrillation, including assessing and managing risks of stroke and bleeding.

You may find the following article useful to learn more about the use of the CHA2DS2-VASC tool.

Calculate the stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation using the CHADSVASC app (apple users only)

Predicts bleeding risk in patients on anticoagulation for afib.