Coumadin

Posted by IVA on June 25, 1999 at 09:24:04
   I am on 5 mg of Coumadin a day along with many other drugs for continuous fibrilation..I received a message from the Dr on my recorder now I have too much Coumadin according to the blood test done in his office, The Dr said take none for three days then on Sunday go early in the morning for another blood test to see what amount I should take, he is out of town for comment,, I need to know is this real unsafe to have enough built up that I can go three or four days without it and does it effect the heart rate? my heart has gone from 75-80 to 63 while resting, my pacer is set at sixty. Thank you again. Iva

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD JMF on June 25, 1999 at 14:50:52
Dear Iva,
coumadin is a medication to thin your blood and decrease the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation. It is not used to control your heart rate in any way.  What has happened to you is that the routine tests that your doctor order to monitor the "thinness" of your blood indicated that your blood was too thin and this could cause you to have increased bleeding.  typically, your coumadin is held for a couple of days until your INR ( the measure of blood thinness) is back to a more normal range.  At that time, your doctor will resume your coumadin at a new dose.  
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.