E-ISSN 2149-388X | ISSN 2149-0430
 

Original Research 


Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi.


Cited By:6

Abstract
Background: Maintaining a therapeutic range of International Normalized Ratio (INR) in patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valves is of paramount importance. The effect of religious Fasting and altered lifestyle pattern during the Holy month of Ramadan on the INR stability has not been previously studied in the Saudi population.
Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on the INR stability in patients using warfarin anticoagulation for mechanical prosthetic heart valves.
Design: Data were extracted retrospectively from a specialized anticoagulation clinic electronic database and were anlysed in a case-control manner, where Ramadan INR of each study subject was compared to his/her own pre-Ramadan INR level.
Setting: Prosthetic Valve Anticoagulation Clinic at King Abdul-Aziz Cardiac Center, Riyadh.
Materials and methods: Using Point-Of-Care (POC) testing, the first INR level during Ramadan as compared to the average baseline INR readings over the last 3 months before Ramadan. The study was conducted between July 29th and August 20th, 2015, which corresponds to the month of Ramadan, 1436 Hejra Calendar. Several exclusion criteria were applied to minimize the effects of potential confounding factors.
Main Outcome measures: Paired t-test was used to detect any statistically significant difference in the INR level between Ramadan and pre-Ramadan readings, in the overall study cohort and among pre-specified study subgroups.
Results: One-hundred and fourteen (114) consecutive patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 48.4±13.6 years and males constituted 58% of cases. Low target (INR: 2.0-3.0) and high target (INR: 2.5-3.5) therapeutic ranges represented 35% and 65% respectively. Mean INR level was 2.81 at baseline and 2.75 during Ramadan with no statistically significant difference between them (P=NS). Achieving the desired target INR level before Ramadan was feasible in 62.5% and 64.8% of the low and high INR target groups respectively. However, maintaining the desired INR level during Ramadan was feasible in 67.5% and 51.3% of the low and high target INR groups respectively (P= 0.07). Duration of anticoagulation, warfarin dose, and adherence scale did not contribute significantly to the primary outcome.
Conclusion: Ramadan fasting and its associated lifestyle changes in the Saudi community may aggravate the INR fluctuations in warfarin-treated patients. During Ramadan, warfarin-treated patients are more prone to develop supra-therapeutic INR and therefore they deserve careful attention and closer INR monitoring.

Key words: Anticoagulation, INR, Ramadan, Fasting, Mechanical Heart Valves


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. Ulutas Med J. 2018; 4(2): 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224


Web Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/?mno=288581 [Access: March 06, 2024]. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224


AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. Ulutas Med J. 2018; 4(2): 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. Ulutas Med J. (2018), [cited March 06, 2024]; 4(2): 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



Harvard Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi (2018) Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. Ulutas Med J, 4 (2), 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



Turabian Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. 2018. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL, 4 (2), 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



Chicago Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. "Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves." THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL 4 (2018), 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi. "Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves." THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL 4.2 (2018), 78-84. Print. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224



APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Mohammed Ghormalla Alghamdi, Abdullah Adel Kokandi, Rheema Ahmad Alfadhil, Lama Abdullah Alotaibi (2018) Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the International Normalized Ratio in Patients with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valves. THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL, 4 (2), 78-84. doi:10.5455/umj.20180117091224