Vitamin K antagonists
Vitamin K antagonists ( 5 Questions)
A nurse is caring for a patient who is taking warfarin (Coumadin). Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the patient teaching?
Warfarin (Coumadin) is an anticoagulant that works by inhibiting the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. Vitamin K is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, liver, and soybeans. Eating foods that are high in vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin and increase the risk of blood clots.
Choice B is wrong because warfarin can be taken with or without food. Taking the medication with food does not affect its absorption or action.
Choice C is wrong because stopping warfarin abruptly can increase the risk of thromboembolism. If the patient experiences bleeding, they should notify their health care provider and follow their instructions. They may need to adjust their dose or switch to another medication.
Choice D is wrong because aspirin is also an anticoagulant that inhibits platelet aggregation. Taking aspirin with warfarin can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. The patient should avoid taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) unless prescribed by their health care provider. The patient who is taking warfarin should also have regular blood tests to monitor their international normalized ratio (INR), which measures how long it takes for their blood to clot. The target INR range for most patients is 2 to 3. The patient should report any signs of bleeding, such as nosebleeds, gum bleeding, blood in urine or stool, or prolonged bleeding from cuts or wounds. They should also report any signs of thrombosis, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, leg pain or swelling, or stroke symptoms. They should wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a card that identifies them as taking warfarin.
Warfarin (Coumadin) is an anticoagulant that works by inhibiting the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. Vitamin K is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, liver, and soybeans. Eating foods that are high in vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin and increase the risk of blood clots.
Choice B is wrong because warfarin can be taken with or without food.
Taking the medication with food does not affect its absorption or action.
Choice C is wrong because stopping warfarin abruptly can increase the risk of thromboembolism.
If the patient experiences bleeding, they should notify their health care provider and follow their instructions.
They may need to adjust their dose or switch to another medication.
Choice D is wrong because aspirin is also an anticoagulant that inhibits platelet aggregation.
Taking aspirin with warfarin can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising.
The patient should avoid taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) unless prescribed by their health care provider.
The patient who is taking warfarin should also have regular blood tests to monitor their international normalized ratio (INR), which measures how long it takes for their blood to clot. The target INR range for most patients is 2 to 3.
The patient should report any signs of bleeding, such as nosebleeds, gum bleeding, blood in urine or stool, or prolonged bleeding from cuts or wounds.
They should also report any signs of thrombosis, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, leg pain or swelling, or stroke symptoms. They should wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a card that identifies them as taking warfarin.