Chronic disease management Flashcards
what is INR?
international normalised ratio
how is INR checked?
blood test
how often is INR checked?
variable
usually every 4 weeks if stable
can be everyday of very unstable
why do we check INR?
check the effect of warfarin, check dosage of warfarin, check bleeding risk
what is the ideally range of INR when on warfarin?
2-3 (can vary based on patient)
why is it important to keep INR in range?
narrow therapeutic range
what does it mean if INR is >3?
increased risk of bleeding
what does it mean if INR is <2?
increased risk of clotting
why might someone be on warfarin?
mechanical heart valve, AF, clotting disorder, post surgical, post DVT, post MI or stroke
why might INR be low?
increased vit K intake
bad adherence to warfarin, reduced intake
soya protein intake
vitamins
hyperlipidaemia
hypothyroidism
nephrotic syndrome
drugs - rifampicin (TB treatment)
why might INR be high?
hyperthyroidism
low vitamin K intake
poor nutrition
diarrhoea (malabsorption of vit K)
CHF
cancer
liver disease
connective tissue disorders
fever
increase warfarin consumption
fenugreek / camomile
drug interactions - antibiotics, antifungals, antidepressants, aspirin (anticoagulants), NSAIDs, paracetamol
what past medical history should you ask about in particular from someone on warfarin?
Liver failure (lack of clotting factors).
Bleeding disorders (haemophilia, factor 7 deficiency).
why do you need to ask a patient on warfarin about their diet?
Vit K in their diet e.g. green leaf veg, olive oil
foods that effect warfarin e.g. grapefruit
why do you need to know why someone is on warfarin?
this affects the dose and the duration of the treatment
e.g. DVT treatment is only 13 weeks
why do you need to know how long someone has been taking warfarin?
this can affect how stable their INR is and how often they should be getting it checked
why do you need to know what side affects the patient is having for warfarin?
it can affect their adherence as they might want to avoid the side effects
why do you need to know their alcohol in take?
binge drinking can affect INR, regular drinking doesn’t have an effect
what sort of things can effect adherance?
memory, confusing dosing, unaware of the risks, side effects of drug, cost of prescriptions
what are the common side effects of warfarin?
heavy bleeding - heavy menstrual periods
red urine
black stools
abdominal pain
joint pain
swelling
headaches
coughing up blood
vomiting blood or coffee ground vomit
what can we do if INR is low?
give advice on adherence,
reducing vitamin k intake,
treat other conditions that may affect INR,
increase dose of warfarin (only if not other factors seem to be contributing)
LMWH
compression stockings if immobile
what are low INR symptoms?
Sudden weakness/numbness/tingling in any limb, visual changes, inability to speak (stroke symptoms).
New pain, swelling, redness, heat in body parts or new SOB or chest pain (DVT/PE symptoms).
what are high INR symptoms?
Headache, severe stomach ache.
Increased bruising.
Prolonged bleeding after minor cuts/menstrual bleeding/gum bleeding.
Blood in urine.
what can we do if INR is high?
advice on understanding dosing and not having too high of a dose,
treat other diseases contributing,
drug interaction information and advice,
take off drugs that interact,
vitamin k
blood transfusion
decrease dose of warfarin (only if no other factors are contributing)
what advice might you be asked to give if someones INR is too high?
Decreasing risk of bleeding;
Avoid activities that can cause bleeding/bruising.
Brush/shave gently.
Tell dentist and any other HCP that you take anticoagulants
what is HbA1c?
glycated haemoglobin, haemoglobin bound to sugar
what does HbA1c level tell us?
gives us a picture of blood sugar levels over the past 8-12 weeks
what are the target ranges for HbA1c?
<42 = normal, 42-47 = pre-diabetes, >48 = diabetes (target range for someone with diabetes is as close to 48 as possible)