Warfarin use and the risk of motor vehicle crash in older drivers

Article date: February 2006

By: J. A. ‘Chris’ Delaney, Lucie Opatrny, Samy Suissa, in Volume 61, Issue 2, pages 229-232

Aim

On the basis of a recent report, we assessed whether the use of warfarin by elderly drivers results in an increased risk of motor vehicle crash.

Methods

We used computerized records of Quebec insurance programmes, covering a population of 7 million people, to conduct a case–control study based on 5579 cases and 12 911 controls.

Results

The rate of injurious motor vehicle crash associated with the use of warfarin in the past year was not elevated (rate ratio 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.55, 1.05).

Conclusions

Warfarin therapy does not appear to increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents in elderly drivers.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2005.02548.x

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