Is there a best time of day to take coumadin? Should it be taken on an empty stomach or not?

The best time of day to take Coumadin is the time of day that's easiest to remember. I tell my patients that the reason most doctors recommend taking their Coumadin in the evening is this: say you go in to have your INR checked and find that it is extremely high and you need to hold your Coumadin for the day. If you usually take your Coumadin in the mornings, chances are you have already taken it by then and will need to wait another day before making the dose adjustment, which puts you at risk for a bleed that much longer. There is no medical reason for taking your Coumadin at night versus mornings, other than this rationale. Again, the most important thing is remembering to take it at about the same time everyday. It also can be taken without regard to food.

All of the cardiologists affiliated with Borgess Heart Center For Excellence direct their patients to take coumadin at 5:00pm.