RESUMO
The management of anticoagulant therapy for hospitalized patients by seven certified pharmacist prescribers and one physician was compared. Eighty-one consecutive patients referred to the anticoagulation service were randomly assigned to two groups. For patients in the pharmacist-prescriber group, the physician independently monitored laboratory results and simulated heparin and warfarin doses. The roles of pharmacist and physician were reversed for patients in the physician-prescriber group. According to an established protocol, adjustments in heparin sodium infusion rate were based on activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT); warfarin sodium dosage was adjusted using a proconvertin and prothrombin (P&P) method. Heparin doses, warfarin doses, and clotting-test results were compared for patients in the two prescriber groups; simulated and actual doses also were compared. Patients were observed for complications of anticoagulant therapy. There were no significant differences in the mean heparin and warfarin doses administered to patients in the two prescribed groups. Similarly, PTT and number of days to reach therapeutic P&P were not significantly different. Within each group, the mean prescribed and simulated heparin doses were not significantly different. There were no episodes of major bleeding, but four patients in the pharmacist-prescriber group had minor bleeding. While the results are not applicable to all pharmacists or all settings, the certified pharmacist prescribers in this study adjusted anticoagulant therapy as well as an experienced physician.