Vitamin K is a vitamin that is found in leafy green vegetables, beef, pork liver, and green tea.  You’ll want to avoid large amounts of asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, spinach, lettuce, or turnip greens. 

Because warfarin/Coumadin® competes with Vitamin K, eating foods and vegetables high in Vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin.  People who take warfarin/Coumadin® have to be mindful of what foods they eat.  They may have to permanently alter their diet.  In additions, it’s important to be careful of accidents, cutting themselves, and any injuries.

So will you need to be on Coumadin® forever?

This is a difficult question to answer.   A couple simple principles apply.

•    If you are in Atrial Fibrillation you should stay on warfarin/Coumadin® forever, if possible.  This will be the most effective way to reduce your risk of a stroke.

•    If your heart rhythm returns to normal permanently you may be able to get off these anticoagulants.  Your doctor will want to be certain that this is the case.  You will probably need to wear a heart rhythm monitor and be evaluated more than once to be certain.

•    If you have a significant bleeding episode you may not be able to take warfarin/Coumadin®.  In this case you may not be on Coumadin® forever.  This will need to be discussed with your doctor.

•    If you have had a blood clot while in Atrial Fibrillation it will be essential to stay on these medications forever.

•    If you have a mechanical heart valve you will need to be on warfarin/Coumadin® long term.

Every case of Atrial Fibrillation needs to be individualized.  The question of whether you’ll need to be on warfarin/Coumadin® forever will depend on many clinical variables. 

Your cardiologist can give you the best answers to these questions.

I hope this has been helpful.

Dr. Kirk Laman
www.drlaman.com