Your physician may prescribe the brand-name drug Coumadin, known generically as warfarin, if you run the risk of dangerous clotting of your blood. Calcium supplements can have an effect upon how your heart beats. This mineral is essential for many functions in the body, including regulation of heart rate. People should consult their doctor before taking any supplement.
Coumadin
If you are at risk for blood clotting, your health care practitioner may prescribe the anticoagulant Coumadin. Particularly if you have had any type of heart surgery, such as a valve replacement or bypass, your heart may have trouble beating correctly for a while, a condition known as atrial fibrillation. In this situation, blood may pool in the heart and fail to move properly through the arteries and blood vessels. If blood becomes too thick, it can form clots that can lead to a stroke or a pulmonary embolism. Coumadin, a blood thinner, helps keep blood from coagulating into life-threatening clots.
Coumadin Side Effects
Coumadin must be regularly monitored through blood tests to make sure the dosage is correct. Your doctor may change the dose several times during your course of treatment. Potential serious side effects, MedlinePlus indicates, include breathing problems, edema or swelling, flu-like symptoms, abnormal skin sensations and pressure or pain in the chest. You need immediate medical assistance or advice from your doctor if you experience these side effects. Coumadin also can temporarily produce minor side effects such as hair loss, fatigue and paleness, which should subside in a few days.
Calcium
You get calcium in many different foods, particularly dairy products. This mineral has many functions in your system, from helping strengthen bones and teeth to regulating your heart rate. Calcium supplements usually are recommended for postmenopausal women as a means to fight osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become brittle because of a depletion of the mineral.
Calcium Side Effects
Unless you take excessive amounts of calcium, you may experience only minor and temporary side effects if any at all. Constipation can occur as the body adjusts to increased calcium. In very high doses, a calcium supplement may cause loss of appetite, nausea and kidney toxicity. Doses of a calcium supplement should not exceed 2,500 mg daily.
Interactions
Drugs.com notes there are no known interactions between Coumadin and calcium. If you note any health changes or possible problems while taking both the medicine and the supplement, report them to your doctor, who will want to determine contributing factors that may be particular to you.
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