Taking warfarin (an anticoagulant) while certain diabetes medications increases the risk of hospitalization, warns a recent study.
The researchers analyzed the data of almost 466,000 Patients from Medicare.They found that those who took warfarin together with the medications for glipizide or glymepirid diabetes (also known as sulfonylureas) presented a risk a higher risk of making a visit to the emergency room or being hospitalized for having a low level ofblood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Although doctors are warned of the possible interaction between medicines, there have been few real data, said the author of the study, John Romely, associate professor at the Center for Health and Economics Center and the Faculty of Public Health of the University of Southern SouthernCalifornia (USC).
"Until now, no one had really studied the interactions between them," he said in a university press release.
The risk was especially high for men from 65 to 74 years of age, according to the study published on December 7 in BMJ magazine.
40 percent of the approximately 100,000 American hospitalizations every year due to problems related to medication are due to warfarin reactions or diabetes medications, according to researchers.
Warfarin can intensify the effects of diabetes medications and cause blood sugar levels to reduce a lot.Patients with a low blood sugar level may seem drunk, stunned or confused, and run the risk of a fall, Romely said.
"An interaction that is clinically significant can be produced, so that professionals must be aware in order to prevent a problem with a reduction of blood sugar," the study co -author commented in the press release, Anne AnnePeters, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the USC.
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"Sometimes this means that the patient has to monitor their blood sugar levels more frequently," he added."There are many ways to treat the problem if you are warned in advance."
It is not necessary for pharmacists to change the instructions for the patient, the researchers added.
"What is required is that pharmacists and doctors are more attentive when a sulfonylurea is added to a regime that includes warfarin, and also when a patient who is taking both present a change in his medical state," he said in thePress statement The study co -author, Bradley Williams, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Gerontology.
