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When You're On Blood ThinnersWhat you need to know if you use medications like Coumadin
Checkups Made EasyHelen Havran (right), 76, of Palmerton used to wait hours for her blood test results. Now she gets instantaneous checking (and dose instructions) from nurse practitioner Mary Williams at the Anticoagulation Management Service at Lehigh Valley Hospital—Cedar Crest. Her husband, Steve, 84, is on blood thinners, too. The couple gets tested monthly. Thanks…to cardiologist William Smolinski, D.O., Monica Salash, R.N., and Stephanie Dietrich, R.N., for their expertise. Their cardiology practices have Coumadin clinics. See Services Directory on inside back cover for details. With regular checkups and a few precautions, you can continue “life as usual” on blood thinners—some 1.8 million Americans do, and the number is growing. Here’s how: Know what they’re for. Blood thinners reduce your risk for stroke by preventing clots from forming. They’re prescribed for people with atrial fibril-lation (the most common type of irregular heartbeat), people with mechanical valves in their hearts, stroke survivors, or people at risk for developing clots in an arm or leg. Know your INR (international normalized ratio), a measurement of your blood’s clotting ability. When you begin taking a blood thinner and as your INR stabilizes, your doctor will check it frequently, and you’ll need checking at regular intervals thereafter. This involves a finger-stick blood test, at either the doctor’s office, a special clinic (see photo) or an outpatient lab. Be faithful about your medication. Take the correct dose at the correct time. Watch your diet and supplements. On blood thinners, it’s important not to consume too much Vitamin K (found mainly in leafy green vegetables). Overdoing this vitamin can make your blood too thick. Herbal medications can have the opposite effect and make it too thin. Tell your family physician about all medications and supplements you’re taking. Know the warning signs. If you develop skin bruises, nosebleeds, other hard-to-stop bleeding, or changes in the color of your stool, your blood might be too thin. Call your doctor immediately.
Want to Know More about how to manage blood-thinning medication? Call 610-402-CARE for a brochure about the Anticoagulation Management Service. This page last updated 3/30/08 02:47 PM
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