Warfarin guidance Flashcards
Why can bleeding in the mouth be excessive?
- mouth is highly vascular
- saliva contains fibrinolytic agents
What is a clinically significant bleed defined as?
- continues beyond 12 hours
- causes patient to call/ return to dental practice/A&E
- results in the development of a large haematoma or ecchymosis within soft tissues
- requires blood transfusion
Bleeding complications carry the same risks as thromboembolic complications. True or false
False
When is it indicated for the dose of warfarin to be adjusted for a patient requiring dental surgical procedure?
INR >4
The risk of thromboembolic events following stopping warfarin for 2 days is between …
0.02 and 1%
What medical problems may affect coagulation and clotting?
- liver impairement and/or alcoholism
- renal failure
- thrombocytopenia, haemophilia or other disorder of haemostasis
- those currently receiving a course of cytotoxic medication
What should be the INR target for patients taking warfarin to manage a pulmonary embolus ?
(State the acceptable range)
2.5
(2.0-3.0)
What should be the INR target for patients taking warfarin to manage DVT ?
(State the acceptable range)
2.5
2.0-3.0
What should be the INR target for patients taking warfarin to manage atrial fibrillation ?
(State the acceptable range)
2.5
2.0-3.0
What should be the INR target for patients taking warfarin to manage antiphospholipid syndrome ?
(State the acceptable range)
3.5
3.0-4.0
What should be the INR target for patients taking warfarin to manage mechanical prosthetic heart valves ?
(State the acceptable range)
3.5
3.0-4.0
What should be the INR target for patients on warfarin at risk of experiencing recurrent embolism ?
(State the acceptable range)
3.5
3.0-4.0
What should be the INR target for patients at risk of recurrent embolusm no longer taking warfarin ?
(State the acceptable range)
2.5
2.0-3.0
When should INR be measured before a dental procedure?
ideally 24 hours before the procedure
for patients who have a stable INR, measuring it 72 hours before the procedure is acceptable
The INR is only valid for patients who have stable anticoagulant therapy. What is the implication of this?
this means that patients presenting with INR values much higher than their normal value (even if it is less than 4.0) should have their procedure postpones or referred back to clinician maintaining their anticoagulant therapy