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.