WARFARIN DRUG INTERACTIONS

Course overview

WARFARIN HAS FDA APPROVAL FOR THE PROPHYLAXIS AND TREATMENT OF VENOUS THROMBOSIS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS, SUCH AS A PULMONARY EMBOLUS. IT IS ALSO INDICATED TO PREVENT THROMBOEMBOLIC COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CONDITIONS SUCH AS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, CARDIAC VALVE REPLACEMENT, AND INHERITED GENETIC FACTORS LIKE C AND S PROTEIN DEFICIENCY OR FACTOR V LEIDEN. ADDITIONALLY, WARFARIN IS FDA APPROVED AS AN ADJUNCT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION (MI) AND OTHER THROMBOEMBOLIC EVENTS IN HIGH-RISK PATIENTS. HOWEVER, WARFARIN FALLS IN THE NARROW THERAPEUTIC INDEX DRUG CATEGORY AND IS SUBJECT TO NUMEROUS INTERACTIONS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE INDICATIONS, MECHANISM OF ACTION, INTERACTIONS, SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, TOXICITY, AND MONITORING OF WARFARIN SO PROVIDERS CAN DIRECT PATIENT THERAPY WHERE ANTICOAGULATION IS INDICATED AS PART OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.