What is warfarin used for?
Formerly it is used as a rat poison. Now it is used as a blood thinner for the treatment of heart disease especially to those who are fitted with prosthetic heart valves. Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots from forming or growing larger in your blood and blood vessels. It is prescribed for people with certain types of irregular heartbeat, people with prosthetic (replacement or mechanical) heart valves, and people who have suffered a heart attack. Warfarin is also used to treat or prevent venous thrombosis (swelling and blood clot in a vein) and pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung). Warfarin is in a class of medications called anticoagulants (‘blood thinners’). It works by decreasing the clotting ability of the blood.
Warfarin is an anticoagulant. It can be used to treat a lot of different heart-related problems. It is often prescribed for people with atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart disease, embolisms, valve replacements, and for many other reasons. It is extremely important that a person taking warfarin takes it exactly as directed, and has regular follow-up visits and bloodwork to monitor its effects.
Certain types of blood clots, such as those in the veins, in the lungs, and in people with atrial fibrillation or artificial heart valves, can be treated and prevented with warfarin. The drug also can be administered after a heart attack to reduce the risk of death, repeat heart attacks, blood clots, or strokes. Healthcare providers may occasionally recommend “off-label” warfarin uses as well.
This is an anticoagulant used to treat or prevent blood clots in the veins or lungs or with some abnormal heartbeat or following a heart valve replacement. Also used to reduce the rist of stroke and other problems in patients who have had a heart attack. Several people have told me they will need to run bloodwork on you about every other week to check to see if your doseage needs adjusting. See if you qualify to have this done at your local health department for much cheaper than the doctor’s office. Foods high in vitamin K (such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, liver, certain begetable oils) may change the effects of this medicine. A little of these daily is OK, but don’t eat a meal of liver & onions with steamed broccoli or lots of turnip greens for example. And no cranberry juice or products.
Although it is commonly called blood thinners, this is incorrect. Warfarin changes the way blood clots are formed so is useful in preventing clots forming. http://www.warfarinfo.com/indications.ht…
