Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Caused by Warfarin after Rifampicin Discontinuation

Case Rep Med. 2019 Jan 23:2019:4917856. doi: 10.1155/2019/4917856. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

An 83-year-old man under warfarin therapy presented for assessment of prolonged prothrombin time and cough. High-resolution computed tomography findings of the chest showed diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. His international normalized ratio (INR) was 11.89. He had been treated with rifampicin for a persistent infection, but this had been discontinued about two months before admission. Rifampicin suppresses the anticoagulant activity of warfarin, which can lead to a need for increased doses of warfarin to achieve and maintain a therapeutic INR. More frequent INR monitoring is needed even after discontinuing rifampicin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports