The medication has been of immense benefits to medical science for its unique factor of preventing certain clotting phenomena in the body. Initially, this drug was marketed and used for killing rats and mice and therefore it can cause very serious coumadin side effects if not properly monitored by a doctor.
The medicine has subsequently been found to be relatively safe as well as effective for the treatment of thrombosis and embolism. Although a good medication it reacts quite seriously with a host of other medicines including certain food for which a doctor may suggest changes in food intake by the patient.
A super cure for the human heart
Popularly known as blood thinner coumadin or warfarin as it is otherwise known in the medical circle is an anticoagulant. The medication is especially used in preventing heart attacks and blood clotting. It is however toxic if taken with other medication that do not go well with coumadin.
- Side Effects of Coumadin
Coumadin is mainly used to prevent heart attacks, different types of strokes, and above all blood clots in veins and arteries. It can be used for treatment of other diseases as per the sole direction of an experienced doctor. Coumadin side effects are definitely a thing to be seriously worried about as the medication if administered without proper monitoring can result in death of the patient.
The medication is usually avoided if the patient develops an allergy for it and if he or she has a history of bleeding problems. As the medication is primarily used to stop coagulation it is therefore prove difficult for patients having blood cell disorders as this may result in non stop bleeding.
It is extremely fatal for a pregnant woman to take it and in most cases is sure to cause birth defects and bleeding in unborn baby which might kill the baby and the mother.
Coumadin for abnormal migration of blood clots
The drug is still popularly used for killing rats and mice and due to its distinct quality of preventing thrombosis and abnormal function and migration of blood clots it has been regarded as a major drug. It cannot be easily administered to each and every patient having blood clots as the drug has several types of side effects. These are not just ordinary side effects, but extremely harmful to human body if not given under continued attention of a doctor.
The drug is not to be used if the patient has bleeding or blood cell disorder. Again, the medicine is not prescribed when samples of blood in urine or stools are seen. The same is the case with the infection of the lining of the heart, stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain and any other bleeding which the medical practitioner may deduce as improper for the intake of the medicine.
For those patients having a history of bleeding problem, high blood pressure, severe heart diseases, kidney disease and cancer the doctor may prescribe a different mix of other medication. Under no circumstance would he or she be willing to prescribe coumadin. Similar is the case with a surgical operation which the patient might have to undergo and diseases affecting the blood vessels and if the person is above 65 years of age. Coumadin side effects are not curable or easily mitigated in such conditions and hence the medication is avoided.
Many drugs including some of the over the counter medicines and even the otherwise harmless herbal products can cause serious medical complications and result in death of the person if taken along with coumadin. Doctors may advice patients against it if other medicines contain coumadin or warfarin. This is because by taking such medication a double dose occurs which increases the side effects considerably.
What are the Coumadin Side Effects
In a previous post, I have discussed the ramipril side effects. As seen above the coumadin medication do not go well with several different medicines nor works smoothly on patients having one or other serious diseases. People are disallowed to take the medicine if they have blood in their urine or stools or if they cough up some blood. In case the people are found to have mental problems like psychiatric problems, dementia or other similar conditions then the coumadin is avoided.
Coumadin can cause birth defects and dose adjustments are needed if the person has liver disease, intestinal disorder, congestive heart failure, overactive thyroid, connective tissue disorder. The later can be like the Marfan syndrome, Sjogren syndrome, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
All the above have the potential to bring about irreversible side effects in patients. Even many foods do not go well with coumadin. For instance, fresh plant-based foods containing vitamin K do not go well and in such cases their activities have to be monitored by the doctor carefully.
Alcoholism can have disastrous effect on the patient’s body if he or she is under the medication of coumadin. Even the dosage that is usually recommended is very complicated as frequent changes are made subject to the patient’s condition to avoid any coumadin side effects. Stand by for my next post on levothyroxine side effects.
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