What is Warfarin?
Warfarin is a medicine used to treat or prevent blood clots. It is a type of blood-thinning medicine known as an anticoagulant (anti-clotting) and is taken in tablet form, once per day. There are many things that can affect how Warfarin works on each person, therefore if you are taking warfarin you will need to be closely monitored to make sure you are taking just the right amount.
Your usual treating doctor or your hospital doctor may have enrolled you in the our pathology Warfarin Care Clinic so that we can monitor your blood and keep your Warfarin dosage at a safe level. Patients cannot self-register because we require a detailed medical history. You will need to speak with your doctor about enrolling in the Warfarin Care Clinic.
The Warfarin Care Clinic is not funded by Medicare or any other funding source, therefore we require your full cooperation to make this service run efficiently and effectively. Your responsibilities are laid out in the Warfarin Care Clinic Charter. You will be provided with a copy of the charter when your doctor registers you and you will need to return the Charter Acceptance Form in order to complete your registration.
Frequently asked questions
We believe it’s important that warfarin doesn’t impact on your lifestyle. However, some changes are essential in order to control your INR level. Changes to diet and exercise can show a significant effect on the stability of INR level.
If you are travelling in regional Victoria, we have a wide network of collection centres that you can visit. Click here for locations. If you are travelling interstate you can have your blood taken at one of our sister laboratories. These are Abbott Pathology for South Australia, TML for Tasmania, Laverty Pathology for NSW and ACT, QML for Queensland and Western Diagnostic Pathology for West Australia. Please complete the Warfarin holiday letter and hand it to the collection team when you are getting your blood taken. You’ll find it in the Brochures and Forms section on this page. The laboratory will then send us the results and we can provide your dose as per normal. If you are overseas we recommend that you contact a doctor at your destination and utilise local services during your stay.
For shorter waiting times, we advise that you have your blood test between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Your test can be done at any one of our Dorevitch Pathology Collection Centres. Just remember to bring your current INR card with you and your request form.
- Medicine changes. If your medication changes for three days or longer (prescribed, or over the counter). This includes heparin (e.g. Clexane®) injection.
- Hospital admission. If you’re admitted or discharged from hospital, please let us know.
- Surgery or dental procedures. You’ll need to advise us of your pre-operative requirements. Ask your doctor for any special instructions relating to when you should recommence your warfarin and let us know at the Warfarin Care Management Service.
- Holidays. You’ll need to tell us if you are going away on holidays so we can make the necessary arrangements for your testing.
- No longer taking warfarin. If you stop taking this medication, our clinic needs to be advised.
Your doctor will give you a pathology request form to take along to your Dorevitch Pathology collection centre. Click here to find your local centre . To increase the likelihood of same day results, we recommend you have your test done as early in the morning as possible and definitely before lunch time. For your first test, please allow extra time for your results to come through.
It is very important that you note any changes to contact details, any medication changes or significant health issues, surgeries etc. Dorevitch Pathology cannot be held responsible for any adverse event if you have provided inaccurate or incomplete information to our Warfarin Dosing Service.
The blood test result is referred to as an INR (International Normalised Ratio). This is a measure of the time it takes for your blood to clot. The higher the INR, the thinner the blood and the less warfarin you need. The lower the INR the more likely it is that you will develop a clot, so you may need more warfarin. Your warfarin levels need to be in the right range for your individual set of circumstances. INR targets are a range rather than a single figure because INRs tend to fluctuate and a range allows you (and us) more flexibility.
You’ll need to have blood tests to check how well warfarin is working. At first the blood tests are likely to be more frequent, however once your levels reach the therapeutic range and remain stable, these test dates can be extended. You will need regular blood testing as long as you remain on warfarin.
The blood test result is referred to as an INR (International Normalised Ratio). This is a measure of the time it takes for your blood to clot. The higher the INR, the thinner the blood and the less warfarin you need. The lower the INR the more likely it is that you will develop a clot, so you may need more warfarin. Your warfarin levels need to be in the right range for your individual set of circumstances.
It is preferable that you have your blood test between 9.00am and 12.00pm. You will have a shorter waiting time by avoiding our busy morning period. Your test can be done at any of our QML Pathology Collection Centres. Please bring with you your current INR card. Where possible, please complete a QML Pathology Warfarin Control Request Form prior to your test.
Medicine changes – If any medicine changes are for 3 days or longer (prescribed, or over the counter). Including if you are taking heparin (e.g. Clexane®) injection.
Hospital Admission/Discharge – If you are admitted or discharged to hospital.
Surgery/procedures – Contact us if you are to have any surgery or dental procedures to advise us of your pre-operative requirements. Ask the doctor for any special instructions on when you should recommence your warfarin. Provide this information to the Warfarin Care Clinic.
Holidays – Tell us if you are going away on holidays so we can make the necessary arrangements for your testing.
No longer taking Warfarin – Tell us if you are stopping Warfarin.
If you are travelling in Queensland or Northern New South Wales (Northern Rivers region), we have a wide network of collection centres that you can visit. Find your closest collection centre here. If you are travelling interstate or overseas we recommend that you contact a doctor at your destination and utilise local services during your stay. On return, please call the QML Pathology Warfarin Care Clinic as soon as possible with your last reading and the next date for your blood test.
Your doctor will give you a pathology request form that you will take along to your nearest QML Pathology collection centre. It is preferable that you have your blood test before 12.00pm as this will allow enough time for same day results.
Please bring with you:
- Current INR card (if you have been given one).
- Completed QML Pathology Warfarin Control Request Form (where possible)
- This form has a number of questions that the Warfarin Care Clinic dosing doctor needs to know. It also allows you to communicate with us about any important changes. Please complete ALL questions.
You will require regular blood tests to check how well your Warfarin dosage is working. At first the blood tests will be done every second or third day. When the blood level is stable, the frequency of testing will reduce to weekly, fortnightly and then longer intervals. You will require regular blood testing as long as you remain on warfarin.
We believe it is important that Warfarin does not inhibit aspects of your lifestyle; however, some changes are essential in order to control your INR level. Changes to diet and exercise show a significant positive effect on the stability of INR level. A booklet explaining these aspects can be obtained from us, please speak to the QML Pathology Warfarin Care Clinic operator when they next call in relation to your result.