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What is Coumadin?

Coumadin (generic name warfarin) is an anticoagulant, a drug that makes it harder for the body to make blood clots. When unwanted blood clots form, they can travel in the bloodstream to other areas of your body and cause serious medical problems, such as a stroke. Coumadin is effective in preventing blood clots in people who have more risk for such problems.

Your health care provider decides your dose of Coumadin based on a blood test called a prothrombin time (protime) or international normalized ratio (INR). This test measures how long it takes for your blood to clot. Over time, your dose of Coumadin may change based on the results of this blood test. Your dose may also change if you become sick, change your diet, or are taking other medications. If you are taking Coumadin, be sure to take it at the same time every day.

Sources:
A Patient’s Guide--Using Coumadin at home. DuPont Pharma, 1998.
Applied Therapeutics: The Clinical Use of Drugs. Applied Therapeutics, 1995.
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.

This answer prepared 1/11/2001.
This information updated 12/05/2006.