but i'm off to cuba in aweek's time. Help
2006-12-08 10:53:48 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
THERE ARE TWO FACTORS IMPORTANT TO THIS. YOU'RE BEING ADVISED TO START WARFARIN BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH IRREGULAR HEART RHYTHMS ARE AT RISK OF DEVELOPING CLOTS IN THE HEART WHICH CAN TRAVEL TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY SUCH AS THE LUNGS AND THE BRAIN WITH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. THIS IS ALL RELATED TO THE FLUID MECHANICS OF THE BLOOD AS IT FLOWS THROUGH THE HEART.
NOW, WHAT YOU MUST ALSO BEAR IN MIND IS THAT A LONG FLIGHT TO CUBA IS GOING TO CAUSE VASCULAR STASIS AND INCREASE YOUR RISK OF CLOTTING EVEN FURTHER, MAKING YOUR CHANCE OF A CLOT-RELATED EVENT EVEN MORE LIKELY.
WHAT WILL MAKE THE URGENCY WITH WHICH YOU START THE WARFARIN MORE IMPORTANT IS THE RESTING HEART RATE WHEN IRREGULAR. IF THE RATE ISN'T THE SAME AS A NORMAL RHYTHM, THEN THE NEED TO START WARFARIN IS MUCH GREATER THAN IF IT WERE 60-70 BEATS PER MINUTE.
SIMILARLY, YOU DON'T WANT TO START THE WARFARIN WITH HASTE BECAUSE IT TAKES 3-4 DAYS FOR THE WARFARIN TO HAVE ITS MAXIMAL THERAPEUTIC EFFECT SO IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO FIND THE RIGHT DOSE FOR YOU. BEAR IN MIND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE THEIR WARFARIN LEVEL WAS TOO HIGH AND MADE THEM BLEED.
IN SHORT, THE DECISION IS UP TO YOU. HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR RISK FACTORS AND WHETHER THE NEED FOR WARFARIN IS IMMEDIATE, OR WHETHER YOU HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO PLAY ABOUT.
2006-12-08 11:04:32 · answer #1 · answered by DR ROB 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
An arrhythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm) is always of concern until its underlying cause has been determined. You need to be more specific about the diagnosis, but honestly: this is not the kind of question you should be posing to Yahoo Answers. The opportunity for bad advice is far too high, and and has far too serious consequences.
Broadly speaking, warfarin, an anti-coagulant, is often prescribed for a particular type of arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition where the top part of the heart beats too rapidly. The drug does nothing to control the AF; it acts to help prevent a stroke which can be caused by small blood clots forming in the atrium of heart because blood is not circulating normally.
Get advice from you doctor -- or even better, from a cardiologist -- before you travel. Although relatively benign, AF is not something to mess around with.
2006-12-08 11:03:36 · answer #2 · answered by Mark H 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Amazing. I just returned from my cardiologist and I have been in A-Fib for two years. "Atrial Fibulation". But today he noticed that my upper chamber of the heart was in "flutter", beating at 278 beats per-minute. That is the reason that I am short of breath, tired, sluggish, can't get out of bed, and heart starts racing even when I take a shower and try to start the day. I break out in a cold sweat when getting ready. The "flutter" is the reason. He explained the cardiac strip to me today and I could see the lines he was talking about. He went back over my last two years of EKG'S and today was the first time I have been in Flutter. He said with A-Fib, plus upper chamber "'flutter", this is not so good. He will call another specialist and see about "shock treatment". I am bad out of rhythum...Am I nervouse about it? No, this is just my luck from the time I was born until now....
2006-12-08 12:00:17 · answer #3 · answered by virginiamayoaunt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when you start warfarin you will have to be monitored closely until the level is right for your condition so talk to your doctor he may advise you not to fly for the time being especially if its a long flight. do you really want to risk your health?
2006-12-11 04:03:20 · answer #4 · answered by michelle a 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Warfarin is rat poison ("warf rat"). It thins your blood down like crazy. That's the way it kills rats. It thins their blood down to where they bleed out which is the same way some people die from the stuff. If you do some research, you'll find that aspirin and garlic will also thin your blood but without the rat poison thing. Good luck.
2006-12-08 10:59:08 · answer #5 · answered by Don S 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
If you have to take it to save your life or improve the quality of it don,t worry, i,ve been taking it for 20 years, monitored and dose controlled it,s as safe as houses.
2006-12-08 19:28:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can take it, just be careful and DO NOT take aspirin while you are at it. To be safe, don't take Advil either.
2006-12-08 11:01:46 · answer #7 · answered by kmack 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just discuss these potential interactions before you take it of before you go ...
http://www.solgar.co.uk/healthnotes/healthnotes.asp?org=boots&ContentID=1539003
2006-12-12 05:10:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋