Flexible induction dose regimen for warfarin and prediction of maintenance dose.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Fifty patients with venous thromboembolic disease being treated by heparin infusion received a three day warfarin induction regimen tailored according to the prothrombin time (British comparative ratio) measured on days 2 and 3. A prediction of the final maintenance dose of warfarin was made on the basis of a prothrombin time measured on day 4. All patients were safely anticoagulated by day 6, and the prediction was accurate to within 1 mg in 46 patients. Predicted and actual maintenance doses were closely related (r = 0.867; n = 50; p less than 0.001). This scheme should prove helpful in the control of anticoagulation, particularly in patients likely to be sensitive to warfarin, and should shorten hospital stay.

This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit: