Introduction:

non-valvular atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly and has been related to different adverse outcomes such as stroke, which in 80% of cases can be prevented with oral anticoagulants, a benefit that is conditioned by an adequate therapeutic adherence.

Objective:

to determine adherence to anticoagulant treatment in patients older than 65 years with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and associated factors.

Methodology:

cross-sectional analytical observational study conducted at the FOSCAL anticoagulation clinic. Therapeutic adherence was evaluated using the Morisky 8 scale in 102 patients, with an average age of 76 years. Sociodemographic, clinical, geriatric syndrome and health system-related variables were analyzed, then a bivariate analysis was performed. A value of p < 0.05 was accepted as statistical significance.

Results:

Low pharmacological adherence was found in 42.1%, whose main cause was forgetting to take their medication (50%), likewise, the variables associated with the health system with low adherence were disagreement with the dispatch of the anticoagulant medication (OR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.1-8.2; p = 0,02) and untimely dispatch (OR: 5.85; CI 95% 1.5-32.8; p = 0,005). Taking antiplatelet agents (p = 0.04) and the presence of polypharmacy (p = 0.04) were associated with moderate and high pharmacological adherence.

Conclusions:

the prevalence of low adherence to pharmacological treatment is significant. It is necessary to know some aspects of the health system that limit adherence since they impact the effectiveness of oral antiocogulants in the elderly population.

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