Definition:
Fetal warfarin syndrome is categorized as a very rare disorder tat primary caused by fetal exposure to an anticoagulant known as warfarin that would often result in neurological, physical and mental abnormalities. Patients usually develop nasal hypoplasia and cartilaginous calcification.
Diagnosis:
Blood test for patients with fetal warfarin syndrome is usually unavailable and can prove to be not helpful, so laboratory references for this medical condition do not include blood tests. Toxicity is best measured through daily PT and INR ratio. CT scan as well as MRI may also be conducted to check possibility of intracranial bleeding.
Treatment:
Teartment for fetal warfarin syndrome includes general avoidance to drugs that are known to enhance bleeding as well as increase metabolism of the anticoagulant drug. Vitamin K prophylactically should also not be administered. The rapid administration of the activated carbon may also be feasible.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms include low birth weight, seizures, reduced muscle tone, deafness, feeding difficulty, shortened fingers, widely spaced nipples, and failure to thrive. Warfarin ingestion may also be chronic or acute.
Causes:
Fetal warfarin syndrome is primarily caused by the exposure of a neonate to an anticoagulant warfarin or toxicity that arise from Coumadin ingestion or rodenticide superwarfarins exposure.
