Warfarin

Pronounced WAR-far-in

Brand names: Coumadin, Jantoven

Type: Anticoagulant (blood thinner) · All Heart & Blood Pressure Medicines

What Warfarin is used for

  • Preventing and treating blood clots in legs and lungs
  • Preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation
  • Preventing clots with artificial heart valves

◆ Kidney note

No dose change for the kidneys themselves, but people with kidney disease bleed more easily on it, so monitoring is especially important.

Common side effects

  • Easy bruising
  • Nosebleeds
  • Bleeding gums
  • Heavier menstrual bleeding

Important cautions

  • Requires regular blood tests (INR) because the dose must stay in a narrow range
  • Many foods (especially leafy green vegetables) and medicines change how it works — keep your diet steady and tell your care team about every new medicine
  • Serious bleeding, including in the brain, is the main risk

How it comes

Tablets. This guide lists forms only — it never lists strengths or doses.

Related medicines — Heart & Blood Pressure Medicines

Condition guides on MedicalVideos.com

Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.