entacapone vs warfarin
Side-by-side comparison of entacapone and warfarin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
In an interaction study in healthy volunteers, entacapone did not significantly change the plasma levels of S-warfarin while the AUC for R-warfarin increased on average by 18% [Cl90 11% to 26%], and the INR values increased on average by 13% [Cl90 6% to 19%]. Nevertheless, cases of significantly increased INR in patients concomitantly using warfarin have been reported during the postapproval use of entacapone. Therefore, monitoring of INR is recommended when entacapone treatment is initiated or when the dose is increased for patients receiving warfarin.
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor your blood clotting levels (INR) closely when you start entacapone or change your dose.
Comtan
Coumadin, Jantoven
Entacapone is a medicine that helps people with Parkinson's disease. It is always used with levodopa and carbidopa to help reduce "wearing-off" symptoms.
Warfarin is a medicine that helps prevent blood clots. It is used to treat and prevent dangerous clots from forming in your body.
Entacapone is used to treat Parkinson's disease. It helps when your medicine (levodopa and carbidopa) starts to wear off before your next dose. This medicine is not for people with Parkinson's who do not have "wearing-off" symptoms.
Warfarin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs. It can also prevent clots if you have atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) or a replacement heart valve. After a heart attack, it can lower the risk of death, another heart attack, or a stroke.
Entacapone belongs to a class of drugs called COMT inhibitors. It works by blocking an enzyme called COMT, which breaks down levodopa in the body. By blocking COMT, entacapone helps levodopa work longer and more effectively.
Warfarin works by blocking your body's use of vitamin K. Vitamin K is needed to make blood clotting factors. By blocking vitamin K, warfarin makes your blood less likely to clot.
- • Uncontrolled movements
- • Urine discoloration
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Excessive movements
- • Bleeding from any tissue or organ
- Uncontrolled movements 461
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there 459
- Falling down 443
- Death 318
- Parkinson's disease 274
- INR increased 10,275
- Shortness of breath 8,408
- Interaction with another medicine 6,289
- Tiredness 6,141
- Feeling sick to your stomach 5,921
If you suddenly stop taking entacapone or quickly lower the dose, your Parkinson's symptoms may get worse. This could also cause a high fever and confusion. If you stop taking entacapone, your doctor should watch you closely and adjust your other medicines as needed. It is best to slowly lower the dose before stopping completely.
Warfarin can cause major or fatal bleeding. You must have your blood tested regularly (INR) while taking warfarin. Many things, like other medicines and diet changes, can affect your INR. Tell your doctor about any bleeding and follow their instructions to prevent bleeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if entacapone will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking entacapone while breastfeeding.
Warfarin can harm your unborn baby, especially during the first three months of pregnancy. Do not take warfarin if you are pregnant, unless you have a mechanical heart valve and your doctor says the benefits outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding, and watch your baby for bruising or bleeding.
How to Read This entacapone vs warfarin Comparison
entacapone is classified in the COMT Inhibitor drug class, while warfarin sits within the Vitamin K Antagonist (Anticoagulant) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, entacapone has 1,955 submissions while warfarin has 37,034. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to entacapone can increase the levels of warfarin in your system, which may cause your blood to become too thin.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between entacapone and warfarin - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.