Endoscopy INR Considerations

A 70-year-old patient is scheduled for an endoscopy to investigate gastrointestinal bleeding. Prior to the procedure, the nurse must ensure that the patient has undergone adequate preparation, including the cessation of anticoagulants. After reviewing the patient's medication list, the nurse notes that the patient has been taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation and that the last dose was taken three days ago. The healthcare provider orders an INR (International Normalized Ratio) test before the procedure to assess the patient's coagulation status. The therapeutic range for INR while on anticoagulant therapy is typically between 2.0 and 3.0 for most indications. If the INR is found to be higher than this range, it poses a risk for excessive bleeding during the endoscopy.

Given the patient's situation, fill in the blank with the appropriate action based on the results of the INR test: If the INR is recorded at ____, the healthcare provider should be notified, and the endoscopy may need to be deferred.