The effect of acenocoumarol on hemorheological variables was measured in 35
non-valvular chronic atrial fibrillation patients before starting oral ant
icoagulant therapy (basal) and one and two months after beginning treatment
(INR-2,3). Fibrinogen increased significantly from the basal situation: 33
2 +/- 99 mg/dl to 386 +/- 96 mg/dl in the second month (p < 0.05). However,
this small increase in fibrinogen is not large enough to mediate other rhe
ological changes, and whole blood filterability, blood viscosity, plasma vi
scosity and erythrocyte deformability and aggregability remained unchanged
after treatment. These results suggest that acenocoumarol does not affect r
heological parameters and can therefore be used as a "neutral drug" for rhe
ological studies in cardiovascular patients under oral anticoagulant therap
y.