Contact: Mark Buchanan,
702-345-4244
Mark_buchanan@chs.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Coumadin Clinic at Mesa View Regional Hospital
Mesa View Regional Hospital recently began providing a new service for patients who have been prescribed COUMADIN by their personal physician. COUMADIN is an anticoagulant medicine. It is used to lower the chance of blood clots forming in your body. Blood clots can cause a stroke, heart attack, or other serious conditions such as blocking blood flow in the legs or lungs.
COUMADIN is an anticoagulant (blood thinner). It reduces the formation of blood clots. It works by blocking the synthesis of certain clotting factors. Without these clotting factors, blood clots are unable to form. COUMADIN may be prescribed to patients who have had blood clots, various heart conditions or strokes.
Regulating your blood with COUMADIN is like balancing a scale. If you take too much you will increase bleeding; if you take too little, your blood will clot. Getting your blood within the target range is getting it balanced.
To benefit the most from COUMADIN and also lower your chance for bleeding problems, you must get regular blood tests to check for your response to COUMADIN. This blood test is called a PT/INR test and is done at Mesa View Regional Hospital’s new COUMADIN clinic.
The PT/INR test utilizes a small amount of your blood obtained via a finger stick to check to see how fast your blood clots. Your physician will decide what PT/INR numbers are best for you. Then at your regularly scheduled blood test your dose of COUMADIN will be adjusted by the hospital Pharmacist to keep your PT/INR in that target range. Linda Filter, Mesa View Pharmacy Director, says “It is very important that each patient has blood tests when instructed and that they take the COUMADIN exactly as prescribed.”
When you first start taking COUMADIN you may have your blood checked every three days. Once the blood test is in the target range and the correct dose is reached, this test may only be done once every week or once per month if your levels are stable. Depending on your individual needs you may be on COUMADIN for a few weeks or for the rest of your life.
Patients who are on COUMADIN must be watched closely, take precautions regarding other medicines and supplements, monitor their diet carefully and communicate effectively with their healthcare providers. The hospital pharmacist provides education and information to help each patient understand how to manage COUMADIN treatment and is always available to answer questions.
“We started this new service for the convenience and safety our patients. Now they can have this test done right here in Mesquite and get immediate results instead of having to travel and then sometimes waiting until the next day to know if they are receiving the best dose.” says Sue Conley, Mesa View CEO.
The COUMADIN test is available at Mesa View Regional Hospital generally on Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. until 3 P.M., but can be arranged to meet individual patient needs. To schedule an appointment talk to your personal physician or call 702-345-4286.