Coumadin is the brand name for warfarin, an oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) used to prevent or treat harmful blood clots in veins or arteries. It is prescribed to reduce the risk of serious conditions such as stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, and certain heart rhythm disorders.
- PT/INR testing (International Normalized Ratio) is used to measure how long it takes blood to clot.
- A Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) test evaluates the function of specific blood clotting proteins, known as clotting factors
- The goal is to keep the INR within a target range (often 2.0–3.0 for most conditions, but varies by medical need) American Heart Association
- Dosing is adjusted based on INR results, sometimes weekly or monthly.