Warfarin

Coumadin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant (blood thinner). Warfarin is used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots in veins and arteries. Mechanism of Action inhibits vitamin K-dependent coagulation factor synthesis (II, VII, IX, X, prote ins C and S) Dosage forms: 1,2,2.5,3,4,5,6,7.5,10; IV Side Effects Warfarin may cause you to bleed more easily, especially if you have: a history o f bleeding problems, high blood pressure or severe heart disease, kidney disease , cancer, surgery or a medical emergency, a disease affecting the blood vessels in your brain, a history of stomach or intestinal bleeding, if you are 65 or old er, or if you are severely ill or debilitated. Contraindications/Cautions . hypersens. to drug/class/compon. pregnancy bleeding risk active bleeding blood dyscrasias recent neurologic, ocular, or traumatic surgery abortion, threatened eclampsia or pre-eclampsia lab facilities inadequate unsupervised pt w/ high non-compliance risk spinal puncture regional or lumbar block anesthesia HTN, malignant caution in elderly pts caution in debilitated pts caution if CYP2C9 or VKORC1 gene variant caution if recent surgery or trauma caution if heparin-induced low Plt caution if infxn, acute caution if altered intestinal flora caution if indwelling catheters caution if protein C or S deficiency caution if renal impairment, mod-severe caution if hepatic impairment, mod-severe caution if breastfeeding caution if polycythemia caution if vasculitis caution if HTN caution if CHF caution if diabetes mellitus caution if smoking habit changes FDA pregnancy category X. Warfarin can cause birth defects or fatal bleeding in an unborn baby. Do not take warfarin if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Use effective birth control and tell your doctor right away if you become pregn ant while taking warfarin.