Coumadin and Potential Adverse Effects

Answer

Coumadin and Potential Adverse Effects

Coumadin (warfarin) is the most used anticoagulant taken orally. However, warfarin is listed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as one of the top ten drugs that causes severe adverse effects (Colet, Amador, & Heineck, 2019). Potential adverse effects as well as drug-drug interactions and drug-food interactions may vary across diverse populations and cultures. The proposed project aims to identify potential adverse effects across diverse populations, potential food-drug interactions, and safe dosages for diverse populations.

Objectives

1. To identify variable adverse effect associated with the use of warfarin in diverse populations and cultures.

Rationale: Potential adverse effects associated with warfarin use include bleeding, calciphylaxis, tissue necrosis, cholesterol microemboli, systemic atheroemboli, and gastric irritation (Crader, Johns, & Arnold, 2020).

1. To determine if there are potential adverse warfarin and various foods used by different populations and cultures.

Rationale: Potential interactions between warfarin and certain foods may increase the risk of severe interactions, bleeding, and thrombosis. In addition, the effect of warfarin can be decreased or increased when taking in combination with other foods or drugs (Colet, Amador, & Heineck, 2019).

1. To determine safe warfarin dosages across different populations and cultures.

Rationale: Warfarin dosages may be increased or decreased depending on the type of drugs or foods that are taken by individuals from particular diverse populations or cultures (Colet et al., 2019). Warfarin dosages may vary across different races regardless of age of the patient (Syn et al., 2018).

How Proposed Project and Objectives Advocate for Autonomy and Social Justice for Individuals and Diverse Populations

            Potential adverse effects associated with warfarin should be identified since interactions between warfarin and certain foods or drugs may be harmful to patents; which may contribute to increased health-associated costs. Taking foods rich in vitamin K is associated with decreased therapeutic effect of warfarin (Colet et al., 2019). Knowledge of potential adverse effects, drug-drug interactions, and food-drug interactions can be used to educate patients who are to be administered warfarin. Patients will be let to make their decisions on whether they should be prescribed warfarin on not based on this information. This approach can promote respect of patient’s autonomy and protection of social justice (Cole et al., 2019; Yiu & Bajorek, 2019).

            It is important to follow-up on patients under warfarin therapy for potential drug-drug interactions so as to promote effect and safe therapy as well as to prevent/control adverse effects (Colet et al., 2019). Oral anticoagulants such as warfarin may cause severe harm when not used properly. Bleeding is one of the major risk factor associated with warfarin-drug especially in vulnerable populations such as linguistically and culturally diverse persons, people with limited literacy levels, and elderly people aged more than 65 years (Yiu & Bajorek, 2019).

            Establishment of safe dosages for different persons promotes delivery of patient-centered care. There are various vulnerable populations who take warfarin. These vulnerable populations include elderly people aged over 65 years, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, and those with limited health literacy. These characteristics increase the risk for development of adverse effects (Yiu & Bajorek, 2019). Genotyping-guided dosing of warfarin has a potential of improving patient outcomes compared to the traditional clinical dosing of warfarin. Therefore, genotyping guided dosing can help improve safety of patients from diverse backgrounds (Syn et al., 2018).