Managing Diabetes and Warfarin
By: Alere Staff
It takes a great level of discipline to manage and monitor an ongoing disease like diabetes, a disorder of the body’s metabolism. In a person who does not have diabetes, the pancreas produces the correct amount of insulin to move glucose, sugar’s form in the blood, from the blood to the cells. In diabetes, however, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the cells within your body’s organs do not use insulin properly.1 According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, healthy eating can help manage your diabetes by controlling your blood sugar. This means that every day you must poke your finger, sometimes more than once, to test your blood sugar level. You also must be conscientious of what you eat and drink as even having too much water could drop your blood sugar levels.
If you are a person who manages a condition like diabetes as well as taking warfarin, then you are aware of how much more work it can be. Diabetes itself is a risk factor for conditions like heart disease and stroke, so having both conditions is not uncommon.1 Here are some facts and tips that may make managing both diagnosis easier.
Warfarin, Diabetes and Diet
Let’s start with diet. Both managing diabetes and taking warfarin involve close monitoring of what you are eating. With diabetes you must monitor your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates provide energy for our bodies but if we eat too much our body will conserve the energy as sugar for later use. If a diabetic eats too many carbohydrates, their bodies will have an overabundance of sugar, or glucose, in the blood system, leading to complications.1
This does not mean you are doomed to a bland diet. Meats, fish and poultry are perfectly fine but it’s all in the preparation. For example, bake your chicken, don’t fry it. The intense heat destroys a lot of the nutrients your body would otherwise use. As a patient on warfarin, it is again important for you to pay attention to what foods you eat and beverages you drink. Vitamin K is in many foods you may eat and it can have an effect on how warfarin is processed in your body. For example, spinach is loaded with lots of nutrients, one of which is vitamin K. While a spinach salad may be good for diabetes, the vitamin K may affect your INR. While physicians agree that you can continue to enjoy foods containing vitamin K, being consistent is key. Be sure to avoid drastic changes in your vitamin K intake.2 For a list of vitamin K content in foods, please see our Vitamin K Finder.
Getting Enough Exercise
As with many other conditions, when managing both warfarin and diabetes it is recommended to include a healthy amount of exercise. Making sure you get enough movement each week will keep your blood moving and your heart healthy and can aid in keeping the body’s systems functioning. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, it’s best to get at least two hours and thirty minutes of a moderate level aerobic activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of a vigorous level of aerobic activity, a week.3 Also, making sure you spend at least two days a week strengthening your muscles and including many of your major muscles groups like your stomach, back and arms. Repetition of at least 8 to 12 times of each exercise per workout session is suggested.3
Medication Management
Managing your different medications for each condition can also be a challenging experience. At this time, there have been no interactions reported between warfarin and diabetic medications.2 Keeping a log or calendar of dose information can help keep you organized. You can also use a pill box to keep your medications in order. Be sure to share any medication changes with your doctor(s), especially if you have multiple physicians involved in your care.
While managing anticoagulation and diabetes can be challenging, it doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy your life. With careful monitoring and help from your doctor, you can manage both conditions and still live your life to the fullest. Just remember to be proactive in your health.
References:
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke. NIH Publication No. 13-5094. August 2013. Retrieved from website:http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Diabetes/diabetes-heart-disease-stroke/Pages/index.aspx.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Medication Guide for Coumadin Tablets and Coumadin for Injection [Package Insert]. Princeton, NJ: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. 2015.
- Department of Health and Human Services. Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults. ODPHP Publication No. U0037, October 2008. Retrieved from website:http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Diabetes/diabetes-heart-disease-stroke/Documents/adultguide.pdf.
Warfarin & You
-
General Information
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Health Conditions
- Anemia and Warfarin
- Cancer, Chemotherapy and Warfarin
- Going Back to Warfarin After Pregnancy
- Great News for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
- Great News for Patients with DVT or PE
- Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation and Warfarin
- Inactivity and Your Risk of Stroke
- Mechanical Heart Valve
- Neutropenia and Warfarin
- Unexpected Results - Understanding Your Hematocrit
- Spotting a Blood Clot
- Stroke Awareness Month
- Stroke in Women and Dietary Flavonoids
- Strokes on the Rise But Risk Can Be Prevented
- Study Reveals Heart Attacks in Women Strike without Pain
- The Liver, Liver Disease and Warfarin
- Unexpected Results - Anemia and Your INR
- Unexpected Results – Lupus and APA
- What is Atrial Fibrillation?
- What is Factor V Leiden?
- Your Pulse and Your INR
- Stroke Signs and Symptoms
- Dialysis Increasing the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation
- Managing Alzheimer's and Warfarin
- Pertussis (Whooping Cough) and Warfarin
- Heart Failure and Warfarin
- Raynaud's Disease and Home INR Testing
- Tools Used to Diagnose Heart Disease
- What is VAD?
- Cholesterol - Good vs. Bad
- Menopause, Warfarin and Your INR
- Migraine Treatment and Warfarin
- Tuberculosis and Warfarin
- Remote Monitoring Benefits of Patients with LVAD
- Home Monitoring Reduces Gastrointestinal Bleeding Events for LVAD
- What is DVT?
- Women and Stroke
- How often should I test my INR?
- The Cardiovascular System - Capillaries
- The Cardiovascular System - Your Heart
- The Cardiovascular System – Heart Valves
- The Cardiovascular System – The Arteries
- The Cardiovascular System – The Atria
- The Cardiovascular System – The Ventricles
- The Cardiovascular System – Veins
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Wellness
- Acupuncture and Warfarin
- Another Method to Catch Afib
- Bah Humbug! Avoiding Holiday Stress
- Bone Health - Importance of Vitamin K
- Chiropractic Care and Warfarin
- Diabetes and Warfarin: Balance with Diet
- Does warfarin make you chilly?
- Fido Becoming a Heart’s Best Friend
- Flu Shots & Your INR
- Fluids & Electrolytes
- Get Out and Play - Bowling
- Get Out and Play - Pickleball
- Going to the Dentist While Taking Warfarin
- Healthy Diet: Whole grains
- High Blood Pressure Control and Your Age
- Identifying Dangerous Blood Clots
- Importance of Controlling Blood Pressure While taking Warfarin
- Namaste: Yoga and Your Heart
- New Health Condition: What does that mean for INR & warfarin?
- Outdoor Summer Safety
- Planning Your Next Doctor’s Appointment
- Probiotics and Warfarin
- Prolonged hot weather can influence your INR
- Seasonal Allergies
- Seasonal Allergy Medications & Your INR
- Shingles and Your INR
- Smoking Health Risks and Warfarin
- Stroke & Dental Plaque – A manageable risk
- Tattoos & Warfarin
- The Cost of a Vaccine vs Getting Sick
- The Flu and Your INR
- Treating Heartburn While On Warfarin
- Understanding and Managing Stress
- What’s Your Risk of Stroke?
- Avoid those Winter Blues!
- Insomnia and Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids
- Exercise & Physical Activity
- Get Out and Play: Bocce Ball
- Managing Diabetes and Warfarin
- Volunteering is Good for Your Health
- Pneumonia, the Prevnar 13® Vaccine and Warfarin
- As You Age - Your Heart
- Heat Therapy
- Keeping Healthy Sleep Habits
- Patients Who Receive Lifestyle Text Messages Show Improved Health
- Chikungunya and Your INR
- Air Quality and Your Heart
- Men and Warfarin
- Sitting Exercises
- Heart Rate and Your Health
-
Warfarin FAQ
- Warfarin Now Seems Natural
- Bridging Medication
- Purple Toe Syndrome
- Testing Methods for Your INR
- The Dangers of Being Labeled ‘Stable’
- The “Absolute Truth” about warfarin replacement drugs
- Travel Series: Altitude and Your INR
- Travel Series: Diet considerations in airports
- Travel Series: Helpful Hints for Air travel
- Travel Series: Traveling on Warfarin
- Travel Series: Your Diet
- Warfarin Side Effects
- Women & Warfarin
- Moving to Generic Warfarin Could Affect Your INR
- Warfarin or Dabigatran or Xarelto… the choice is a team decision
- Medications only work when they are taken as directed
- The Cardiovascular System - Your Blood
- The Cardiovascular System - White Blood Cells
- The Cardiovascular System - Platelets
- As You Age - Dexterity, Tremors and Balance
- As You Age - Eyes
- As You Age - Your Skin
- As You Age - Diet and Digestion
- As You Age - Hearing
- Comparing Warfarin to NOACs
- Consider your condition and more when selecting an anticoagulation medication
- Considering the cost of anticoagulation therapy
- Warfarin, NOACs and Reversal Agents
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Health Conditions
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Dietary (Food & Beverage)
- Vitamin K Levels in Foods – Impact of Cooking or Freezing
- Your Holiday Diet
- Your Metabolism
- Your Balanced, Healthy Diet
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Food Interactions
- Aged Garlic Extract and Warfarin
- Asparagus and Warfarin
- Avocado and Warfarin
- Bananas and Warfarin
- Blueberries and Warfarin
- Broccoli Sprouts
- Cabbage and Warfarin
- Celery and Warfarin
- Cereal Safety
- Coconut and Warfarin
- Cooking Oils and Vitamin K
- Cranberry & Warfarin OK Together
- Dandelion leaves & Warfarin
- Dark Chocolate and Warfarin
- Eating Prickly Pear Cactus (Nopal Cactus)
- Edible Seaweed and Vitamin K
- FDA Warns Against Mexican Vanilla
- Finding the TricK in Treats
- Food Substitutions Are a Simple Matter of Taste
- Garlic and Warfarin
- Gnocchi and Warfarin
- Grapefruit and Warfarin
- Greek Yogurt and Warfarin
- Licorice and Warfarin
- Mangoes and Warfarin
- Nut Butters and Warfarin
- Oatmeal and Warfarin
- Olestra (food additive) and Warfarin
- Olestra, a fat substitute - Can it affect your INR?
- Papaya & Warfarin
- Parsley and Warfarin
- Pho and Warfarin
- Pomegranate & Warfarin
- Salmon and Warfarin
- Smoothies and Warfarin
- Soy and Warfarin
- Special K® cereal and Warfarin
- Tofu and Warfarin
- Energy Bars and Warfarin
- Sorbet or Sherbet and Warfarin
- Sushi and Warfarin
- Muesli and Warfarin
- Microwave Dinners and Warfarin
- Spinach, Vitamin K and Warfarin
- Template
- Clam Chowder and Warfarin
- Dried Fruits and Warfarin
- Gumbo and Warfarin
- Cauliflower and Warfarin
- Kale and Warfarin
- MSG and Warfarin
- Quinoa and Warfarin
- Cilantro and Warfarin
- Radicchio and Warfarin
- Mushrooms and Warfarin
- Cardamom and Warfarin
- Basil and Warfarin
- Pistachio Nuts and Warfarin
- Potato Chips and Warfarin
- Hummus and Warfarin
- Kiwifruit and Warfarin
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Beverage Interactions
- Drinking Tea & Warfarin
- Alcohol and Warfarin
- Aloe Vera Juice and Warfarin
- Black Tea and Warfarin
- Chamomile & Warfarin
- Coconut Water
- Coffee and Warfarin
- Goji Juice and Warfarin
- Green Tea and Warfarin
- Milk Substitutes for Warfarin Patients
- MonaVie Products and Warfarin
- Wheatgrass and Warfarin
- Wine and Warfarin - Red vs White
- Weight Loss Shakes and Warfarin
- The V8® Beverage and Warfarin
- Meal Replacement Drinks and Warfarin
- Juicing and Warfarin
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Safety & First Aid
- Stop Bleeding Fast with New Topical First Aid Products
- Safety Tips for Winter
- Safety: Weather, Emergencies, & Natural Disasters
- Bone Fractures and Warfarin
- Warfarin and Bruising Risk
- Car Safety
- Common Injuries That Befall Seniors
- Detecting a Safer Home
- Dishwasher Safety
- Felons: A Matter on Hand
- Gardening Safety
- Home Safety: Cutting Edge
- Home Safety: Want to exercise, but worried about your diabetes and INR level?
- Joint Injury - The Shoulder
- Kitchen Safety and Safety Products
- Life Saving Medical ID Jewelry
- Nosebleeds
- Orthostatic Hypotension
- Proper lighting needed for medication identification
- Slipping on Wet Floors
- Staying Hydrated in Summer
- Sunburn and Heat Exhaustion
- The Pitfalls of Holiday Alcohol
- The Sting and Bite of Summertime
- Think Disasters Only Happen to Other People?
- Twigs and Falling
- Water and Pool Safety
- Wet leaves can present a hazard
- Safety & Fall Prevention: Learn How to Fall
- Compression Stockings for DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
- Joint Injury - The Hip
- Look Out for Your Eyes
- Joint Injury - The Elbow
- Nosebleed First Aid and Prevention
- CPR First Aid
- First Aid for Thermal Skin Burns
- Preventing Infection - Proper Care for VAD Drivelines
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Drugs and Other Medications
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Natural Medicines & Vitamins
- Angelica herb & Warfarin
- Arnica, Natural Medicine
- Astragalus and Warfarin
- Bladderwrack Seaweed & Warfarin
- Blond Psyllium and Warfarin
- Bogbeans & Warfarin
- Bromelain and Warfarin
- Caffeine and Warfarin
- Capsicum and Warfarin
- Chlorella and Warfarin
- Chromium and Warfarin
- Cinnamon and Warfarin
- Cod Liver Oil & Warfarin
- Corn Silk & Warfarin
- DHEA and Warfarin
- Does Whey Protein Interact with Warfarin?
- Flaxseed Oil and Warfarin
- Ginger and Warfarin
- Iodine and Warfarin
- Iron and Warfarin
- Krill Oil & Warfarin
- MK-7: The Other Vitamin K
- Melatonin and Warfarin
- Multivitamins and Warfarin
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Warfarin
- Primrose Oil and Warfarin
- Safflower & Warfarin
- St. John's Wort and Warfarin
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Clotamin, a Multivitamin without Vitamin K
- Ginseng and Warfarin
- Glucosamine Sulfate and Warfarin
- Using Essential Oils and Warfarin
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Over-the-Counter Medications
- Airborne® supplements and Warfarin
- Alli® Weight Loss Medication & Warfarin
- Cold-EEZE® supplement and Warfarin
- Estroven® supplement and Warfarin
- Over-the-counter Creams and Ointments
- Senokot® Laxative & Warfarin
- Topical Arthritis Pain Medications
- Combination Therapy – Aspirin & Warfarin
- Emergen-C® Supplements and Warfarin
- Emergen-C® Supplements and Warfarin
- Prilosec OTC® and Warfarin
- How Ibuprofen Works
- The Nyquil™ Cold and Flu Medication and Warfarin
- Bismuth Subsalicylate and Warfarin
- The Vicks® VapoRub™ Product and Warfarin
- The Alka-Seltzer® Medication and Warfarin
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Prescription Medications
- Antibiotics and Warfarin
- Antidepressant Medications and Warfarin
- Azithromycin and Warfarin
- Belsomra® and Warfarin
- Casodex & Warfarin
- Cipro Prolonged Release Tablets and Warfarin
- Crestor® and Warfarin
- Dicloxacillin and Warfarin
- Dilantin and Warfarin
- Duavee® and Warfarin
- Duloxetine and Warfarin
- Evista, a controversial choice for warfarin patients
- Farxiga® and Warfarin
- Fluconazole and Warfarin
- GRASTEK® Allergen Extract and Warfarin
- Gefitinib and Warfarin
- Maxifloxacin and Warfarin
- Nalidixic and Warfarin
- New Diabetes Drugs and Warfarin
- Oral Corticosteroids & Warfarin
- Oral chemotherapy's black box for warfarin
- Quinine and Warfarin
- Rabeprazole and Warfarin
- Reclast® medication & Warfarin
- Requip® and Warfarin
- Testosterone and Warfarin
- Wellbutrin and Warfarin
- Yaz® medication & Warfarin
- Alprolix® and Warfarin
- Tamiflu® (Oseltamivir) and Warfarin
- Heparin and Warfarin
- Neurontin® and Warfarin
- A Protonix® Prescription and Warfarin
- Opioids and Warfarin
- Hormone Replacement Therapy and Warfarin
- The Viagra® Medication (Sidenafil) and Warfarin
- Multivitamins and Warfarin
- Your Medications, Best Practices
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Natural Medicines & Vitamins
- News Stories
- WellLife: A guide for living on warfarin
- Talking with Your Doctor