[Oral anticoagulant treatment].

Oral anticoagulant treatment is a preventive measure against thromboembolic disease; while this measure has very beneficial aspects, it is not exempt from risks since it has a few peculiar characteristics such as possible hemorrhages. The increasing number of patients who require anticoagulant medicine means that nurses may have to treat these patients in any forum where nurses work and therefore nurses need to know the traits this treatment measure entails. This article reviews the general characteristics of anticoagulant treatment and nurses' role in controlling this treatment.