warfarin and Melena

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common reason for hospital admission in older adult patients and carries a high morbidity and mortality if not properly managed. Risk factors include advanced age, Helicobacter pylori infection, medication use, smoking, and history of liver disease. Patients with known or suspected liver disease and suspected variceal bleeding should also receive antibiotics and somatostatin analogues. Risk stratification scores should be used to determine patients at highest risk for further decompensation. Upper endoscopy is both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool used in the management of upper GI bleeding. Endoscopy should be performed within 24 hours of presentation after appropriate resuscitation. Management of anticoagulation in upper GI bleeding largely depends on the indication for anticoagulation, the risk of continued bleeding with continuing the medication, and the risk of thrombosis with discontinuing the medication. A multidisciplinary approach to the decision of anticoagulation continuation is preferred when possible.

Topics: Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Anticoagulants; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Hematemesis; Humans; Melena; Peptic Ulcer; Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage; Warfarin

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a well-known risk of systemic anticoagulation. However, bleeding in the setting of supratherapeutic anticoagulation may have a milder natural history than unprovoked bleeding. It is a common clinical gestalt that endoscopy is common, but bleeding source identification or intervention is uncommon, yet few data exist to inform this clinical impression. Consequently, we sought to examine our institutional experience with gastrointestinal bleeding in the setting of supratherapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) with the aim of identifying predictors of endoscopically identifiable lesions, interventions, and outcomes.. A retrospective review was conducted at a tertiary referral academic medical center to identify patients presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding in the setting of warfarin and a supratherapeutic INR (>3.5) who underwent an endoscopic procedure. Relevant clinical covariates, endoscopic findings, need for intervention, and outcomes were collected by review of the medical record. Logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders identified predictors of endoscopically significant lesions as well as intervention and outcomes.. A total of 134 patients with INR 3.5 or greater (mean 5.5, range 3.5-17.1) presented with symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, most commonly as melena or symptomatic anemia. Antiplatelet agents were used by 54% of patients, and 60% of patients were on concomitant acid suppression on admission. Procedures included esophagogastroduodenoscopy (upper endoscopy; EGD) (n = 128), colonoscopy (n = 73), and video capsule endoscopy (n = 32). Active bleeding at first EGD or colonoscopy was found in only 19 patients (18%), with endoscopic intervention in only 26 patients (25%). At a critical threshold of INR 7.5 at presentation, the likelihood of finding an endoscopically significant lesion fell to <20%. On multivariate logistic regression, concomitant antiplatelet therapy (odds ratio [OR] 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-5.94), timing of EGD within 12 hours of presentation (OR 3.71; 95% CI, 1.05-13.08), and INR level (OR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64-0.98) were the only significant independent predictors of identifying a source of bleeding. A risk score incorporating these covariates performed modestly in identifying risk of significant finding on EGD (area under the curve 0.68). We found no association between identification of a significant lesion at EGD and future readmission for gastrointestinal bleeding.. This study demonstrates that the relationship between INR elevation and identification of a bleeding source or endoscopic intervention at EGD are indeed antiparallel. Concomitant antiplatelet therapy increases the likelihood of bleeding source identification and intervention, as does EGD within 12 hours of presentation. However, regardless of source identification or endoscopic intervention, important clinical outcomes were unchanged, suggesting that decisions about endoscopy should be made on a case-by-case basis, particularly in patients with INR > 7.5. Future prospective studies on appropriate indications and timing of endoscopy in such patients are warranted.

Topics: Academic Medical Centers; Aged; Anemia; Anticoagulants; Capsule Endoscopy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Electronic Health Records; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; International Normalized Ratio; Logistic Models; Male; Melena; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Warfarin

The authors aimed to investigate the incidence and outcomes of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) and to examine the role of drugs potentially associated with AUGIB.. The study was prospective, population-based and consisted of all patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE), during the year of 2010 at the National University Hospital of Iceland. Drug intake of NSAIDs, low-dose aspirin (LDA), warfarin, SSRIs and bisphosphonates prior to GIB was prospectively registered and also checked in a Pharmaceutical Database covering all prescriptions in Iceland. An age- and gender-matched control group consisted of patients who underwent UGE during the study period and were without GIB.. A total of 1731 patients underwent 2058 UGEs. Overall, 156 patients had AUGIB. The crude incidence for AUGIB was 87/100,000 inhabitants per year. The most common etiologies were duodenal (21%) and gastric ulcers (15%). Use of LDA (40% vs. 30%), NSAIDs (20% vs. 8%), warfarin (15% vs. 7%), combination of NSAIDs + LDA (8% vs. 1%) and SSRIs + LDA (8% vs. 3%) were significantly more common among bleeders than non-bleeders. Three patients (1.9%) had emergency surgery and two patients died of AUGIB. Independent predictors of clinically significant bleeding were gastric ulcer (OR 6.6, p = 0.012) and NSAIDs (OR 6.6, p = 0.004).. LDA, NSAIDs and warfarin play an important role in AUGIB etiology and particularly combinations of drugs. Gastric ulcer and NSAIDs were independent predictors of severe bleeding. Mortality and the need for surgery during hospitalization was low in this population-based setting.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Anticoagulants; Female; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Hematemesis; Humans; Iceland; Incidence; Male; Melena; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract; Warfarin

Topics: Aged; Anemia; Anticoagulants; Antifungal Agents; Atrial Fibrillation; Drug Interactions; Ecchymosis; Female; Hemorrhage; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Melena; Miconazole; Stomatitis; Thyroxine; Warfarin

The potentiation of the anticoagulant effects of warfarin by miconazole, when used in oral gel form, is described in three patients. The associated morbidity is examined, emphasising the importance of considering this potentially serious interaction when prescribing antifungal agents to patients on oral anticoagulants.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Aged; Anticoagulants; Antifungal Agents; Blood Coagulation; Candidiasis, Oral; Contusions; Drug Interactions; Female; Gels; Humans; Male; Melena; Miconazole; Middle Aged; Mouth Diseases; Purpura; Stomatitis, Denture; Warfarin

Topics: Adult; Drug Interactions; Epistaxis; Female; Fluconazole; Gingival Hemorrhage; Humans; Melena; Warfarin

Topics: Exercise Therapy; Female; Hematoma; Hematuria; Hip; Hip Joint; Humans; Male; Melena; Postoperative Care; Postoperative Complications; Prothrombin Time; Pulmonary Embolism; Thrombophlebitis; Warfarin

Topics: Abdomen, Acute; Barium Sulfate; Blood Pressure; Blood Transfusion; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Duodenum; Female; Hematemesis; Hematuria; Hemoperitoneum; Humans; Intestinal Obstruction; Jejunum; Laparotomy; Male; Melena; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Prothrombin Time; Radiography; Vitamin K 1; Warfarin