Warfarin-associated bleeding complication saved life

被引:8
作者
McCall, KL [1 ]
MacLaughlin, EJ [1 ]
机构
[1] Texas Tech Univ, Hlth Sci Ctr, Sch Pharm, Amarillo, TX USA
来源
PHARMACOTHERAPY | 2002年 / 22卷 / 02期
关键词
D O I
10.1592/phco.22.3.265.33554
中图分类号
R9 [药学];
学科分类号
1007 ;
摘要
A 62-year-old Caucasian man with atrial fibrillation who was taking warfarin reported an episode of hematochezia; his international normalized ratio (INR) was 1.74. His weekly warfarin dose was increased by approximately 5%, and he was given three fecal occult blood cards. At follow-up 1 week later, the patient denied any episodes of hematochezia. His INR was 1.69 despite the increased warfarin dosage. One of the occult blood cards showed a positive result, and colonoscopy revealed a 5-cm lesion, identified as Dukes' A adenocarcinoma. Warfarin-associated bleeding generally is considered deleterious; however, in our patient it unmasked an early stage of colon cancer and thus may have saved the patient's life. Although minor gastrointestinal bleeding is common among patients taking anticoagulants, all patients should be fully evaluated because the source of hemorrhage may be malignant.
引用
收藏
页码:265 / 268
页数:4
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