People take Coumadin, a brand of the drug warfarin, to prevent blood clots from forming. The medication interferes with proteins that are part of clot formation, proteins that need vitamin K to function. Thus, while taking Coumadin, you should consume food and drink that has vitamin K only in small amounts. Lab tests can reveal your clotting rates.
Coumadin Identified
The medication called Coumadin is an anticoagulant, a medication used to slow blood coagulation or prevent the formation of clots. The body uses proteins called factors II, VII, IX and X to form clots. These proteins are made in the liver but require certain changes to become active. Coumadin interferes with these changes and thus prevents clot formation.
Vitamin K and Clotting
Besides needing specific changes in order to turn into their active form, factors II, VII, IX and X also need vitamin K. This is why a low level of vitamin K interferes with clot formation. Newborn babies, for example, receive an injection of vitamin K soon after birth because their levels are so low that they are at risk of bleeding. Food that contains vitamin K can also change how Coumadin works.
Vitamin K Recommendations
Having a lot of vitamin K can lessen the effect of Coumadin. Because food that has vitamin K can affect Coumadin, you should consume food and drink that contains vitamin K in small amounts. These include turnip greens, collard greens, broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, green onions, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, endive, soybean oil, canola oil, mayonnaise, olive oil, green tea and cranberry juice. Discuss your diet with your doctor if you take Coumadin.
Clotting Time
The prothrombin time, referred to as PT, is a lab test that physicians order to see how long it takes for clots to form. The test uses an international normalized ratio, or INR, as a standard measurement. Since Coumadin makes it take longer for clots to form, the PT and INR should take longer. Consuming food and drink that has a total amount of increased vitamin K can result in a lower values for the PT and INR.
References
- "Basic & Clinical Pharmacology"; Bertram Katzung, M.D., Ph.D., Susan Masters, Ph.D., Anthony Trevor, Ph.D.; 2009
- "Clinician's Pocket Reference"; Leonard Gomella, M.D., Steven Haist, M.D.; 2007
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Vitamin K
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Taking warfarin (Coumadin)
