Coumadin

Coumadin Drug Information

• Coumadin Overview

  Coumadin is used to treat blood clots (such as in deep vein thrombosis-DVT or pulmonary embolus-PE) and/or to prevent new clots from forming in your body. Preventing harmful blood clots helps to reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack. Conditions that increase your risk of developing blood clots include a certain type of irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation), heart valve replacement, recent heart attack, and certain surgeries (such as hip/knee replacement). Warfarin is commonly called a "blood thinner," but the more correct term is "anticoagulant." It helps to keep blood flowing smoothly in your body by decreasing the amount of certain substances (clotting proteins) in your blood.

• Coumadin Warnings

  Warfarin can cause very serious (possibly fatal) bleeding. This is more likely to occur when you first start taking Coumadin or if you take too much warfarin. To decrease your risk for bleeding, your doctor or other health care provider will monitor you closely and check your lab results (INR test) to make sure you are not taking too much warfarin. Keep all medical and laboratory appointments. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any signs of serious bleeding. See also Side Effects section.

• How to Use Coumadin

  Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking warfarin and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Take Coumadin by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor or other health care professional, usually once a day. It is very important to take it exactly as directed. Do not increase the dose, take it more frequently, or stop using it unless directed by your doctor. Dosage of Coumadin is based on your medical condition, laboratory tests (such as INR), and response to treatment. Your doctor or other health care provider will monitor you closely while you are taking Coumadin to determine the right dose for you. Use Coumadin regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day. It is important to eat a balanced, consistent diet while taking warfarin. Some foods can affect how warfarin works in your body and may affect your treatment and dose. Avoid sudden large increases or decreases in your intake of foods high in vitamin K (such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables, liver, green tea, certain vitamin supplements). If you are trying to lose weight, check with your doctor before you try to go on a diet. Since Coumadin can be absorbed through the skin and lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle Coumadin or breathe the dust from the tablets.

• Coumadin Precautions

  Before taking warfarin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. Coumadin may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using Coumadin, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history,blood disorders (such as anemia, hemophilia), bleeding problems (such as bleeding of the stomach/intestines, bleeding in the brain), blood vessel disorders (such as aneurysms), recent major injury/surgery, kidney disease, liver disease, alcohol use, mental/mood disorders (including memory problems), frequent falls/injuries. It is important that all your doctors and dentists know that you take warfarin. Before having surgery or any medical/dental procedures, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Coumadin and about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). Avoid getting injections into the muscles. If you must have an injection into a muscle (for example, a flu shot), it should be given in the arm. This way, it will be easier to check for bleeding and/or apply pressure bandages. Coumadin may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol while using this medicine will increase your risk for stomach bleeding and may also affect how Coumadin works. Limit alcoholic beverages. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about how much alcohol you may safely drink. If you have not been eating well, if you have an illness or infection that causes fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for more than 2 days, or if you start using any antibiotic medications, contact your doctor or pharmacist right away because these conditions can affect how warfarin works. Coumadin can cause heavy bleeding. To lower the chance of getting cut, bruised, or injured, use great caution with sharp objects like safety razors and nail cutters. Use an electric razor when shaving and a soft toothbrush when brushing your teeth. Avoid activities such as contact sports. If you fall or injure yourself, especially if you hit your head, call your doctor right away. Your doctor may need to check you. The Food and Drug Administration has stated that generic warfarin products are interchangeable. However, consult your doctor or pharmacist before switching warfarin products. Be careful not to take more than one medication that contains warfarin unless specifically directed by the doctor or health care provider who is monitoring your warfarin treatment. Older adults may be at greater risk for bleeding while using Coumadin. Coumadin is not recommended for use during pregnancy because of serious (possibly fatal) harm to an unborn baby. Discuss with your doctor the use of reliable forms of birth control while taking Coumadin and for 1 month after stopping the medication. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor right away. If you are planning pregnancy, discuss a plan for managing your condition with your doctor before you become pregnant. Your doctor may switch the type of medication you use during pregnancy. Since Coumadin can be absorbed through the skin and lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle Coumadin or breathe the dust from the tablets. Very small amounts of Coumadin may pass into breast milk but is unlikely to harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

• Coumadin Misdose

  For the best possible benefit, do not miss any doses. If you do miss a dose and remember on the same day, take it as soon as you remember. If you remember on the next day, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up because this could increase your risk for bleeding. Keep a record of missed doses to give to your doctor or pharmacist. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you miss 2 or more doses in a row.

• Coumadin Interactions

  See also How to Use section. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval. Warfarin interacts with many prescription, nonprescription, vitamin, and herbal products. This includes medications that are applied to the skin or inside the vagina or rectum. The interactions with warfarin usually result in an increase or decrease in the "blood-thinning" (anticoagulant) effect. Your doctor or other health care professional should closely monitor you to prevent serious bleeding or clotting problems. While taking warfarin, it is very important to tell your doctor or pharmacist of any changes in medications, vitamins, or herbal products that you are taking.capecitabine, imatinib, mifepristone. Aspirin, aspirin-like drugs (salicylates), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib) may have effects similar to warfarin. These drugs may increase the risk of bleeding problems if taken during treatment with warfarin. Carefully check all prescription/nonprescription product labels (including drugs applied to the skin such as pain-relieving creams) since the products may contain NSAIDs or salicylates. Talk to your doctor about using a different medication (such as acetaminophen) to treat pain/fever. Low-dose aspirin and related drugs (such as clopidogrel, ticlopidine) should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Many herbal products interact with warfarin. Tell your doctor before taking any herbal products, especially bromelains, coenzyme Q10, danshen, dong quai, fenugreek, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and St. John's wort, among others. Coumadin may interfere with a certain laboratory test to measure theophylline levels, possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use Coumadin.

• Coumadin Side Effects

  Nausea, loss of appetite, or stomach/abdominal pain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed Coumadin because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using Coumadin do not have serious side effects. Coumadin can cause serious bleeding if it affects your blood clotting proteins too much (shown by unusually high INR lab results). Even if your doctor stops your medication, this risk of bleeding can continue for up to a week. Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs of serious bleeding,unusual pain/swelling/discomfort, unusual/easy bruising, prolonged bleeding from cuts or gums, persistent/frequent nosebleeds, unusually heavy/prolonged menstrual flow, pink/dark urine, coughing up blood, vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds, severe headache, dizziness/fainting, unusual or persistent tiredness/weakness, bloody/black/tarry stools, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing.persistent nausea/vomiting, severe stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing eyes/skin. Coumadin rarely has caused very serious (possibly fatal) problems if its effects lead to small blood clots (usually at the beginning of treatment). This can lead to severe skin/tissue damage that may require surgery or amputation if left untreated. Patients with certain blood conditions (protein C or S deficiency) may be at greater risk.painful/red/purplish patches on the skin (such as on the toe, breast, abdomen), signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine), vision changes, confusion, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body. A very serious allergic reaction to Coumadin is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction,rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

  List of Coumadin side effects

• Coumadin Storage

  Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard Coumadin when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.