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Warfarin bleeding symptoms — GPhC CRA MCQ

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EasyCardiovascular TherapeuticsWarfarin bleeding symptomsGPhC CRA

A 69-year-old woman takes warfarin for atrial fibrillation. She asks for ibuprofen gel and mentions she has had black stools for two days. Her last INR was 3.1 one week ago. What is the most appropriate action?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: A — Advise urgent medical assessment for possible gastrointestinal bleeding

Black stools in a patient taking warfarin suggest possible gastrointestinal bleeding and require urgent assessment. NSAIDs can increase bleeding risk and are not the priority in this scenario. The pharmacist should not advise stopping warfarin independently, but should direct the patient to urgent clinical care.

Reference: BNF; NICE CKS