Whats the difference between warfarin and Coumadin?”
“Warfarin” is the name of the generic medication, whereas “Coumadin” is the Brand name. In general, generic medications are very similar to the Brand name medications. But there is anecdotal testimony that Coumadin may be more effective than warfarin. It’s up to you and your doctor to determine which is better for you. (Oral anticoagulants like warfarin are also called “vitamin K antagonists,” since they work by counteracting the coagulation vitamin K.) Warfarin (Coumadin) must be maintained at a proper level in your blood to be effective. A test called Prothrombin Time (ProTime, PT) is used to determine the INR (International Normalized Ratio) of warfarin in your blood to determine how quickly your blood clots. It should be between 2.0 and 3.0. Above 4.0 you run the risk of having a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke. Below 2.0 you are more in danger of having an ischemic (clotting) stroke, the kind that most often occurs in A-Fib. It is often difficult to maintain this INR, especially whe
