Re: Prosthetic Valves and INR--Avoiding Headaches

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - CRC on January 26, 1999 at 13:05:38:

In Reply to: Prosthetic Valves and INR--Avoiding Headaches posted by J.D. on January 25, 1999 at 17:28:41:







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Dear J.D.,
I have never heard of a link between INR levels and headaches.  The risk of too low of an INR is blood clots, strokes, and thrombosed valve.  Therefore I would not try to base therapy on whether she has a headache or not.  She should keep her INR in the range recommended by her doctor.  I don't know of any home testing kit but once she is on a stable dose she should only have to have her levels checked every several months.  I have attached some additional information on coumadin below.
Coumadin (generic name Warfarin) is a anticoagulant (blood thinner) that is used for a variety of conditions.  Common reasons for coumadin use are in atrial fibrillation to reduce the risk of stroke, in persons with clotting disorders, in persons with mechanical heart valves, and sometimes in people with severe heart failure.  The usual dosage is somewhere between 1 and 15 mg a day.  Potential side effects include bleeding, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea and leukopenia (low blood cell count).  The half life (amount of time for half the drug to be cleared from the body is 42 hours but varies widely depending on the individual).  
Many drugs interact with coumadin and may cause more anticoagulation effect (clofibrate, diazoxide, ethacrynic acid, nalidixic acid, phenylbutazone, salicylates, aspirin, sulfonamides, alcohol, allopurinol, amiodarone, cimetidind, phenytoin, erythromycin, gemfibrozil, propranolol, thyroid drugs) or decreased anticoagulation effect (smoking, estrogens, vitamin K, aluminum hydroxide - antiacids, cholestipol, spironolactone).  See complete list below.  The effects of coumadin must be carefully monitored by a blood test called an INR.  Usually this is checked more often at the onset of taking the drug and less often once a steady state has been reached.  Therapeutic INR is usually 2 to 3 depending on the condition being treated.
Pregnant women and those with a hypersensitivity to coumadin should not take this medication.  
The medication should not be taken with food and any signs of bleeding should be reported to your doctor.  Use a soft toothbrush, avoid hazardous activities, carry Medi-Alert ID identifying drug useage and notify your doctor if you have any dark brown urine or red or tarry black stools.
Known Drug interactions with Warfarin
Increased Effect :
                       Highly Probable
                            Alcohol (if concomitant liver disease)
                            Amiodarone
                            Cimetadine
                            Clofibrate
                            Cotrimoxazole
                            Erythromycin
                            Fluconazole
                            Isoniazid
                            Metronidazole
                            Miconazole
                            Omeprazole
                            Phenylbutazone
                            Piroxicam
                            Propafenone
                            Propanolol
                            Sulfinpyrazone
                       Probable
                            Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
                            Anabolic steroids
                            Aspirin
                            Chloral Hydrate
                            Ciprofloxacin
                            Dextropropoxyphene
                            Disulriam
                            Quinidine
                            Phenytoin (Dilantin)
                            Simvastatin
                            Tamoxifen
                            Tetracycline
                            Influenza vaccine
                       Possible
                            Disopyramide
                            5-Fluorouracil
                            Ifosphamide
                            Lovastatin
                            Metolazone
                            Nalidixic Acid
                            Norfloxacin
                            Ofloxacin
                            Topical salicylates
                            Sulindac
                            Tometin
                       Doubtful
                            Cefamandole
                            Cefazolin
                            Gemfibrozil
                            Heparin
                            Indomethacin
                            Sulfisoxazole
Decreased Effect
                        
                       Highly Probably
                            Barbiturates
                            Carbamazepine
                            Chlorodiazepoxide
                            Cholestyramine
                            Griseofulvin
                            Nafcillin
                            Rifampin
                            Sucralfate
                       Probable
                            Dicloxacillin
                       Possible
                            Azathioprine
                            Cyclosporine
                            Etrelinate
                            Trazodone

No Effect
                    
                       Highly Probable
                            Alcohol (if no liver disease)
                            Antacids
                            Atenolol
                            Bumetanide
                            Diflunisal
                            Enoxacin
                            Famotidine
                            Felodipine
                            Fluoxetine
                            Ketorolac
                            Metoprolol
                            Moricizine
                            Naproxen
                            Nitrazepam
                            Nizatidine
                            Psyllium
                            Ranitidine
                       Probable
                            Ibuprofen
                            Ketoconazole
                            Ketoprofen
                       Doubtful
                            Diltiazem
                            Tobacco
                            Vancomycin

Other Web Sites:
http://search.excite.com/search.gw?c=web&s=coumadin+or+warfarin&showSummary=false&start=20&perPage=20&prev=Previous+Results
Package insert and patient information:
http://www.dupontmerck.com/coumadin/cnsmindx.htm
Food interactions with coumadin:
http://www.rncentral.com/library/health/warfarin.html
Patient information and links:
http://www.hsforum.com/HeartSurgery/TLC/Coumadin/Coumadin.hsf

I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.  Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
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.