Why should people who take daily anticoagulation medication now consider testing their INR levels once a week when once a month used to be often enough?
Coumadin (warfarin) therapy must be closely managed because it has a narrow therapeutic range – too much can cause excessive bleeding and too little can cause clots which can lead to a stroke. Recent studies show that people on daily blood thinners who check their PT/INR levels at least once a week stay in range more frequently than those who test only once a month, and they have fewer complications. Since maintaining the proper PT/INR level can be difficult for many people, more frequent testing is recommended for patient safety and it allows the doctor to adjust medication dosage sooner, if needed.
Related Questions
- Why should people who take daily anticoagulation medication now consider testing their PT/INR levels once a week when once a month used to be often enough?
- Why should people who take daily anticoagulation medication now consider testing their INR levels once a week when once a month used to be often enough?
- Is testing INR levels at home safe/affective?
