The Coumadin(r) (Warfarin) Help Book: Anticoagulation Therapy to Prevent and Manage Strokes, Heart Attacks, and Other Vascular Conditions

[...] The author of "The Coumadin (Warfarin) Help Book" wrote this book because she was placed on Coumadin drug therapy following a diagnosis of a cardiac problem that required surgical intervention. She subsequently suffered a small stroke, and thus was placed on permanent Coumadin therapy to keep her blood from excessive clotting. The book is divided into three sections. Section I discusses the basics about what anticoagulant medication is, why it is so important to control blood clotting, and what common medical conditions may cause blood clotting. Section II is the main core of the book, and it gives excellent guidance about the effect changes in diet, and medications have on Coumadin drug therapy and explains what the INR (International Normalized Ratio) level is, how it is measured, and what it means to your blood and to you. This section also reviews other conditions and how they affect managing your anticoagulant. Section III covers general health concerns, gives some guidelines for managing overall health, and discusses managing anticoagulant therapy outside the home. Resources are listed. Since strokes are the third largest cause of death annually in the country, and bleeding from a hemorrhagic stroke is a dangerous consequence of too much anticoagulant and a high INR. Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the country, and a blood clot is the most common cause. Clots in people who are on anticoagulant therapy are caused when the INR is too low. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occur about 2 million times a year in the United States. Both pulmonary embolisms (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are types of VTE. Usually, following any type of VTE, you are placed on anticoagulant therapy for at least 6 months, up to for the rest of your lifetime. These drugs need careful management, but they are life-saving which makes them very liberating. One of the points that the author discusses is the relationship of food to a person's INR, which tells you if you have too much or too little anticoagulant. Vegetables are the food group of most concern. Generally, the greener the veggie, the more vitamin K is probably in it. Vitamin K reverses the effect of the anticoagulant, so it will affect the INR. Too many dark green veggies, without close monitoring of the INR, could cause you to clot. If your health practitioner adjusts for a certain number of servings of dark green veggies, you really must eat them or you run the risk of bleeding. But, with open communication with the health care workers either at your out-patient anticoagulant monitoring "clinic" which tests your blood at regular intervals, weekly, or more or less often, and adjusts your anticoagulant dosage at each visit, if needed, or by using a home monitoring machine and keeping in close contact with the designated health care professional, your therapy can be very safely and effectively regulated. This excellent book is a MUST for all people who are livin

Reviewed by Lori Plach for Reader Views (8/08) "You will need to be on Coumadin," the doctor says. Just what is this medication used for and what adverse effects may I experience? These are questions that you as a patient or your family may ask. Yes, you can read the pamphlet that the doctor or pharmacy gives you with your prescription but you may still have unanswered questions. Don't you wish there was a book that gives you more in-depth information about Coumadin, which is also known as Warfarin, or simply "blood thinner." Diana M. Schneider has written a book that talks exclusively about this medication that so many people are asked to take. You or your loved one is not alone if the doctor prescribes this - "300,000 to 500,000 start on these drugs every year." Add that to the staggering number of 2 to 3 million people that are already taking it. There are certain foods that you shouldn't eat when you are taking this medication as well as the monitoring that needs to be done. I was very eager to read this book since my father had this medication prescribed for him when he had his open heart surgery in 2006. He was told that he wouldn't have to continue to take it because of his having a tissue valve replaced rather than a mechanical one. Surely the medical professionals have a reason for keeping him on it. I am curious to know just what is intended to prevent and help in different situations. This book could be read from cover to cover or used as a valuable resource when questions surface. I have been fortunate to have my father for more years; I need to know what is going into my beloved father's body. I'm thankful that Diana M. Schneider has written this book for concerned families and used easy-to-understand language. You don't have to sit and wonder what makes it such a valuable drug and a predominantly used one. If you or your loved one is told to take Coumadin or Warfarin, "The Coumadin (Warfarin) Help Book" by Diana M. Schneider, PhD, is essential for your understanding.

The heart is a vital organ, but there is so much wrong that can go with it. "The Coumadin (Warfarin) Help Book" is a manual for the drug known as Coumadin/Warfarin and its effect on the heart. Covering the uses of the drugs and their potentially nasty side effects as well as possible problems that could come with mixing it with certain foods and beverages, author Diana Schneider has written a comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' guide book. If one is deciding if the drug is right for them, "The Coumadin (Warfarin) Help Book" is a good read alongside the advice of a physician.

1The Coumadin (Warfarin ) Help Book is a very easy to read, nicely laid out guide for anyone managing the anticoagulant drug Coumadin.The dietary and monitoring guidelines are understandable and she places the emphasis right where it belongs, on consistency. She explains how the drug works, how its efficacy is measured, the way diet affects the clotting process and the drug's blood levels The side effects and the way other drugs interact can be quite daunting, but she does an excellent job of providing the facts without the fear factor. I wish she had spent more time explaining the transition process for starting therapy and for times when therapy must be interrupted . The transition from heparin to Coumadin is a tough area for patients to understand, and she did such a great job in all other areas, I would have liked to see her tackle that one last area. I am a nurse for a hematologist, and I can see my office using this as a resource for our patients, with great confidence.

This book is invaluable to anyone who takes Coumadin. It is easy to read, with short, to-the-point chapters. Goes into just enough detail about the reasons for taking Coumandin, the dietary knowledge needed and the precautions of being on any blood thinner. The wording is in layman terms and not too "medical". If you take Coumadin (or the generic form) you need this book!!!