Patient was educated on how to take Warfarin as follows:
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of Warfarin as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Noncompliance with this recommendation can result in episodes of bleeding or clot formation. So, do not change your dose of Warfarin, without your doctor’s recommendation.
- Take Warfarin pill with or without food along with a full 8 oz. glass of water. Taking the medication with food helps prevent any nauseating sensation.
- Evenly space out the doses of Warfarin and take the dose at the scheduled time every day. Keeping to the schedule of Warfarin intake helps to avoid forgetting the medication.
- Also, maintaining a schedule for anticoagulant intake will help maintain the blood uniformly thin. This prevents the risks of extra thinning with consequent bleeding and thickening of blood with consequent clot formation.
- Do not change your dietary patterns abruptly without consulting your physician, while you are on Warfarin. Have a balance in the amount of green leafy vegetables you eat every day. Both undereating and overeating of green leafy vegetables can compromise the therapeutic effects of Warfarin, thus leading to frequent dose changes on Warfarin.
- Do not consume alcohol, while you are taking Warfarin, as alcohol can increase the effects of blood thinner and consequently, make the blood extra thin, thus resulting episodes of hemorrhage and bleeding.
- Be cautious about taking OTC vitamin supplements, as they contain vitamin K and can compromise the therapeutic effects of Warfarin. Consuming these OTC products with Vitamin K can result in clot formation.
- Exercise caution regarding preparations containing Aspirin, as Aspirin being an antiplatelet agent, can potentiate the effects of Warfarin. This can result in extra thinning of blood and potential for easy bleeding.
- Do not discontinue taking this medication without recommendation by your doctor. Abrupt withdrawal from Warfarin intake can result in clot formation and consequent DVT, pulmonary embolism, and development of stroke.
- Watch out closely for any signs of clot formation and DVT, such as pain in the calf muscle, episode of sudden cough and shortness of breath, and any chest pain. Report to your doctor immediately, so that, a change in plan could be considered.
- Watch out closely for any signs of bleeding, such as red colored urine, bleeding per rectum that is either bright red or brown black in color, nose bleeds that are difficult to control, increased formation of ecchymosis and bleeding into the skin. Report to your doctor immediately, so that, a change in plan could be considered.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
