Warfarin and older males

[OldManEmu]

Attached is a link to research on long term warfarin use and older males.

http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/6422.html

It may be of interest to some members.

 

[catwoman]

One thing was not mentioned: % of women on osteoporosis drugs. It's possible that might explain the reason for no significant increase in bone loss in older women vs. men.
More women take osteo drugs than men. They're more apt to get tested for osteoporosis. Kinda like women more apt to do self-exams and get tests for breast cancer. Yet men can also get osteoporosis and breast cancer.

 

[dick0236]

One more reason to continue a normal life style and normal vit K intake and modify warfarin dose as needed. I was never told to lessen my vit K intake in foods and after 42 years on warfarin and age 74(nearly), I have no evidence of osteo (according to ortho doc). I have taken vit K out of my daily vitamin but not my diet....I like greens too much.

FWIW, I recently took a fall off a ladder onto a concrete floor. Pretty good bruising and several stitches to close wound at elbow.....but nothing broke.

 

[Bina]

One thing was not mentioned: % of women on osteoporosis drugs. It's possible that might explain the reason for no significant increase in bone loss in older women vs. men.
More women take osteo drugs than men. They're more apt to get tested for osteoporosis. Kinda like women more apt to do self-exams and get tests for breast cancer. Yet men can also get osteoporosis and breast cancer.

With women, it is believed that hormone level reduction during menopause has an effect on bone loss and subsequent osteoporosis....I was doomed with or without Coumadin.

 

[catwoman]

With women, it is believed that hormone level reduction during menopause has an effect on bone loss and subsequent osteoporosis....I was doomed with or without Coumadin.

That's why I think some men may ignore the possibility of osteo: They're not females.

I got a free ticket to osteo when I had a total hysterectomy at age 34.

 

[Bina]

My late Mom had severe osteoporosis and suffered with cracked vertebrae in her back, and later on 2 broken legs. She never took a single dose of Coumadin, be she had a long history of prednisone therapy with her kidney transplant.
I wish that i had had my BMD scan at age 45 because now it is a long process to try to halt the damage already done.

 

[Marty]

I take vitamins with K. Eat lotsa salad and after 11 years still have a normal DEXA scan.

 

[Kathy McCain]

I believe that all drugs, especially if taken over a long period of time, have some adverse side effects. I am now taking 2 1/2mg of prednisone dailey. Hopefully, I can fully wean myself off of this drug. I don't believe it caused my osteoporosis, but I certainly think it may have made it worse. I agree with Bina that for the most part, some people are genetically predisposed. I did not know however, that coumadin could exacerbate the condition.

 

[Marty]

I forgot! I'm also on prednisone ....for polymyalgia rheumatica. Been on it now for two years 10mgm/day. Still no significant osteoporosis. Am trying to ween now and slowly.

 

[olefin]

I'm with Dick, I never changed my eating habits when starting taking warfarin. I loved green salad then and still do. I'm almost 75, couple years ago I fell down 4 concrete steps due to ice, didn't break anything but I had some terrible looking bruising. I've never had a bone density scan. Wife has one every 2 years. Think I'll ask my doc about getting one.

Strange, last week on a cruise I ate a large green salad with plenty broccoli every day for lunch. And had a small salad with dinner. I usually don't eat that much salad. Before the cruise my INR had been holding around 3.0 to 3.5... afterwards it jumped to 3.9? I was thinking after all the extra salad it would been below 3.0. But I've never been able to out guess it.

 

[LuckyGuy]

I have taken vit K out of my daily vitamin but not my diet....I like greens too much.

When I told my anticoagulation counselor that I was starting a multivitamin, she actually suggested that I take one which contains vitamin K. She said that having a consistent amount of vitamin K from the multivitamin blunts the swings from variations in diet, which makes sense. Of course, taking the vitamin meant a change in my warfarin dose, but that's why we get tested, right?

It's another case of "dose the diet, don't diet the dose," which I learned on this forum and have enjoyed parroting to the anticoag counselors at the clinic.

 

[Ross]

I'm with Dick, I never changed my eating habits when starting taking warfarin. I loved green salad then and still do. I'm almost 75, couple years ago I fell down 4 concrete steps due to ice, didn't break anything but I had some terrible looking bruising. I've never had a bone density scan. Wife has one every 2 years. Think I'll ask my doc about getting one.

Strange, last week on a cruise I ate a large green salad with plenty broccoli every day for lunch. And had a small salad with dinner. I usually don't eat that much salad. Before the cruise my INR had been holding around 3.0 to 3.5... afterwards it jumped to 3.9? I was thinking after all the extra salad it would been below 3.0. But I've never been able to out guess it.

That's just the way things go in INR land.