Page 587 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
Page 587 in G. Pétursdóttir et al., eds. Circumpolar Health 93. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 20-25, 1993. Arctic Medical Research. 1994;53(Suppl.2)
When the white man first came to the island they named Greenland, bleeding peculiarities were noted in the Eskimos. Now it is well established that thrombotic events (e.g., coronary disease) are very uncommon in Eskimos. Modern treatments for cardiovascular disease (valve, arrhythmia) make use of anticoagulants. This may be a problem where patients with artificial heart valves live in remote districts that receive poor medical service. Measurement of prothrombin level once every fourth (!) year in patients on warfarin, dicoumarol, or phenprocoumon is not uncommon and seems hazardous. Two ways to provide more safety seem obvious: (1) change to anticoagulant treatment that does not require laboratory screening, e.g., aspirin, as the Eskimos rarely form thrombi; (2) use of a bioprosthesis that does not require anticoagulant treatment.