INR Testing

Anyone who is taking a blood thinner, needs to have their INR (international normalized ratio) regularly monitored.  The test measures the time required for your blood to clot, which is given as an INR score.  Too low a score indicates that you may be at risk of clotting, while a high score may signal you may be at increased risk of bleeding.  Your Doctor will use the INR to adjust your dosage to get your blood clotting ability into a range that is right for you.

You should limit your consumption of alcohol and foods that are high in vitamin K (including beef and pork liver, green tea, broccoli, chickpeas, kale and soy products) if taking Warfarin.  These have a blood thinning effect and may alter your INR results, as can taking a vitamin supplement containing vitamin K.

Avoid medications that can thin the blood too.  This includes Aspirin and Ibuprofin, which increases the risk of bleeding but does not alter your INR.  This means that it won’t detect their effect.  This means it’s important you keep your doctor informed if you take them.  Some drugs may increase the INR include some antibiotics, antidepressants, and levothyroxxine (used to treat underactive thyroid).  Others include barbiturates, that can decrease it.  Make sure your doctor knows all drugs and supplements you are taking, and if you have increased your consumption of vitamin K rich foods recently, so he can interrupt your INR results correctly.

June Kamm, Parish Nurse