HOW CAN AN OVERDOSE OF WARFARIN SODIUM (COUMADIN) LEAD TO TOXICITY?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WARFARIN TOXICITY?

WARFARIN  is an oral anticoagulant that is used to treat the formation of blood clots in our body. It acts as a blood-thinning medication that prevents the formation of harmful blood clots thereby reducing the risk of a  stroke or heart attack.

How can a drug be toxic? It can be toxic if the dosages are not managed properly. When the doses are too high Warfarin toxicity  occurs. If not treated on time, it can become life-threatening.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF WARFARIN TOXICITY?

• Change in color of urine (pink, red or dark brown)

• Rashes on the skin or red spots

• Severe headache, dizziness

• Continuous bleeding from a minor cut

• Heavy bleeding in women during their menstrual period

• stomach ache 

• bleeding during vomiting

• blood in bowel movements.

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WHAT MUST YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT MECHANICAL HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT?

• When the patient takes higher doses of  WARFARIN as prescribed

• If PT/INR LEVELS are not properly monitored.

SOME SAFETY MEASURES BEFORE TAKING WARFARIN

Tell your doctor about any allergies you may have to Warfarin.

Make sure all of your medical history is given to your Physician.

MANAGEMENT OF DOSES OF WARFARIN (COUMADIN)

The best way to reduce any possible toxicity from WARFARIN  is to regularly monitor your  PT/INR LEVEL.  The INR level is a measure of how long the blood takes to clot in your body. Patients can now easily monitor their PT/INR level at home with a PATIENT SELF-TESTING KIT and PT/INR MONITOR. It is the fastest , most   accurate and inexpensive portable solutions that gives the result in seconds. Through the reading from PT/INR MONITORS,  health care providers can adjust the doses of  WARFARIN.All patients should take the medication exactly as directed by doctors.