RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate how German dentists adhere to recommendations regarding dental treatment of patients taking antiplatelet or oral anticoagulation therapy for cardiovascular protection. BACKGROUND: Discontinuation of antiplatelet or oral anticoagulation therapy prior to dental procedures is usually not recommended because the risk of thromboembolic events is higher than that of significant procedure-related bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire regarding the handling of and experiences with patients taking aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) or vitamin-K-antagonists (phenprocoumon) was distributed to approximately 4500 dentists attending the national German Dentists Day 2011. RESULTS: Of 146 dentists who completed the questionnaire 77.4% and 27.6% stated that they perform tooth extractions under continued therapy with aspirin or vitamin-K-antagonists, respectively. When asked regarding the INR or Quick values, they require for tooth extractions in patients taking oral anticoagulants 29.5% of the dentists provided values that were outside the safe range (INR ≤1.5 or ≥3.5) and 90.7% accepted values too old to be clinically reliable. For pain relief after dental procedures, 71.2% of the dentists recommended ibuprofen notwithstanding the fact that it attenuates protective effects of aspirin and 10.2% would discontinue aspirin and prescribe ibuprofen or paracetamol (acetaminophen). CONCLUSION: Despite similar recommendations the majority of dentists perform tooth extractions in patients taking aspirin but not in patients taking vitamin-K-antagonists. Moreover, a potentially unfavourable drug interaction of aspirin and ibuprofen is frequently not considered. In patients taking vitamin-K-antagonists too many dentists rely on laboratory values that are too old or outside the recommended range.