Why do I have to take Lovenox (enoxaparin) or heparin and warfarin?
Lovenox (low molecular weight heparin) blocks the action some of the factors in the blood which causeclots. It works very rapidly. However, as you know, it must be given by injection. Coumadin (warfarin) slows the body’s production of some of the factors which the body make to produce clots. Because these factors are already in the body, you need Lovenox to prevent them from making the clot bigger right away. But you don’t want to gets shots every day – forever. So the Coumadin is given, but since it does not act on those factors already in the blood (it only slows the body from making more) it takes a few days to work. That is why you overlap Lovenox (quick) with warfarin (slow).
