Medications
Follow your physician's medication guidelines. Take only the medications you are given when you go home. If you are unsure about what medications to take or whether to resume your routine medications, contact your physician.
Warfarin or Coumadin®
If you are taking blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin®), please refer to the warfarin booklet you received from your healthcare provider. It provides information about foods to avoid, medicine that cannot be taken and when to call your physician. It is important to know the reason for taking warfarin (Coumadin®) and for how long you will need this medication. You will require weekly blood work after going home until you are on a stable dose.
Managing Your Pain
To prevent nausea, take pain medicine with food. Contact your physician if your medicine does not control the pain.
Contact
For more information regarding heart surgery and other available treatments, please contact the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at (866) 662-8467, or request an appointment online.
Visit the Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Health Learning Center and Alberto Culver Women's Health Learning Center. These state-of-the-art health information libraries are among the largest hospital-based learning facilities of their kind. For more information call (312) 926-5465.
Recovering from Heart Surgery
After Surgery
Preparing to Go Home
Home Care
Medications
When to Call/Follow-up
Review Date: 08/07
