Patient was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Warfarin as follows:
- Maintain a close watch for symptoms of hypotension, such as, confusion and dizziness along with symptoms of anemia, such as, pale skin, exacerbation of shortness of breath, poor endurance, and fatigue. These symptoms in individuals taking Warfarin could be secondary to an undiagnosed internal bleed with loss of blood and should be immediately reported.
- 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.
- 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.
