What is PT/INR Home Testing?
As a Coumadin
® patient you now have the option of checking your PT/INR at
home, at anytime. Testing at home is a convenient alternative to going to your
doctor’s office to check your INR levels, and frequent self-testing has
been proven to reduce the risk of bleeding and clotting. Your doctor will continue
to review your PT/INR test results and make any required changes to your dose.
1,2
How PT/INR Home Testing Works
Testing your PT/INR at home is easy. We provide you with the same INR Monitor
and test strips that doctors and nurses use in their offices. After you receive
simple one-on-one training from your doctor, nurse or from one of our certified
trainers, you begin home testing.
Step 1:
Test
yourself at home at the frequency prescribed by your doctor, usually weekly.
Step 2:
Send us your INR result.
You can call our patient customer service line or use our automated phone system. We’ll teach you each
method, but you decide what’s
easiest for you.
Step 3:
We send
your results to your doctor or nurse who will contact you with changes to your
Coumadin dose, if any.
We’re with you every step of the way and will even mail you testing supplies
when needed.
1.Kortke H, Minami K, Breymann T, et al.INRself-management
after mechanical heart valve replacement: ESCAT. Z Kardiol.2001;90[6] 118-124.
2. Beyth RJ, Quinn L, Landefeld CS. A
Multicomponent Intervention To Prevent
Major Bleeding Complications in Older Patients Receiving Warfarin. Ann Intern
Med. 2000;133:687-695