Response to warfarin and other oral anticoagulants: effects of disease states.
BACKGROUND
Warfarin is associated with numerous drug and food interactions, and much attention has been appropriately focused on this subject. Because several disease states may also affect response to oral anticoagulants, we present a summary of the literature.


METHODS
We searched MEDLINE for original articles on the effect of disease states on response to warfarin.


RESULTS
Liver disease and thyroid dysfunction are well-documented as affecting warfarin response. Further study is needed to establish whether febrile illness, congestive heart failure, and other disease states enhance the effect of warfarin in some patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Careful monitoring of anticoagulant therapy in patients with diseases that have the potential to affect warfarin response could increase safety and efficacy of this important agent.
Demirkan
K
K
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163, USA.
Stephens
M A
MA
Newman
K P
KP
Self
T H
TH
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004194:Disease; D004347:Drug Interactions; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005334:Fever / Q000503:physiopathology; D018565:Food-Drug Interactions; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D012449:Safety; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin