![]() ![]() How to Report a ProblemĪll health care providers, patients and caregivers, are strongly encouraged to voluntarily report INR test meter problems directly to the FDA through MedWatch, the FDA’s voluntary reporting program. Health Care Providers: For more information and tips on using an INR test meter to monitor warfarin safely and effectively, visit Tips for Health care Providers Using INR Test Meters in a Clinical Setting. Home Users - Patients and Caregivers: For more information and tips on using an INR test meter to monitor warfarin safely and effectively, visit Tips for Patients and Caregivers Using INR Test Meters at Home. The information and resources on this website are intended to provide useful information for patients and caregivers who are using INR test meters in the home and for health care providers using INR test meters in a clinical setting. Patients should work with their health care provider to develop a plan for achieving and maintaining a target INR recognize when there is a problem and know when to contact their health care provider. An INR above the patient-specific target range may increase the risk of bleeding, while an INR below the target range may increase the risk of developing a blood clot. It is typically between 2.0 and 3.0 for basic blood-thinning needs, though the range may vary based on a patient’s specific conditions. An INR target range is set by a health care provider. How often an INR test meter is used to monitor warfarin, and the results a patient should expect, will be based on recommendations from the patient’s health care provider. INR test meters may be prescribed to patients for use in the home, and they may also be used by health care providers at the point of care, such as a health care setting. It can be monitored by drawing blood from a vein and sending the blood to an accredited laboratory to test, or it can be monitored by testing blood from a fingerstick with an INR test meter outside of a laboratory. If the dose of warfarin is too high, the patient may be at risk of serious bleeding. If the dose of warfarin is too low, the patient is at risk of developing harmful blood clots. Achieving the correct warfarin dosage can be difficult but is extremely important. Warfarin must be monitored to ensure it is working effectively and being used safely. The dose may also need to be adjusted based on a patient’s diet and current medications. ![]() Warfarin therapy may be prescribed for patients with certain types of irregular heartbeat, blood clots in the legs or lungs, and patients who have certain medical device implants such as artificial heart valves.Ī patient’s warfarin dose depends on many factors, including the patient’s age, overall health and genetic makeup. Warfarin (also known by the brand names Coumadin and Jantoven) is a blood thinner prescribed to prevent and treat blood clots. The FDA wants to ensure patients and health care providers use these devices safely. INR test meters and test strips are medical devices regulated by the U.S. The INR is used by patients and physicians to determine if warfarin dosing is appropriate. The meter reads the test strip, measures how long it takes the blood to clot, and provides the result based on a standardized calculation in the form of the International Normalized Ratio, or INR. A test strip is inserted into the meter, and then a lancet (a medical pricking needle) is used to obtain blood which is applied to the test strip. The meter has a screen that displays results, and an opening for meter-specific test strips. An INR test meter is a portable, battery-operated meter, used to monitor patient response to warfarin. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |