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Letter to the Editor

The recent Letter to the Editor about warfarin and beetroot by Louise Vanpraag and the response from Philip Tideman and colleagues1 both miss the point about warfarin and beetroot. It is commonplace for those eating beetroot to have red urine (beeturia) or red faeces, or both, and such symptoms in those taking warfarin can be worrying. On many occasions, warfarin dosage has been adjusted unnecessarily and there have been many unnecessary urinary and bowel investigations. The beetroot-induced symptoms are of no importance and of course can occur in anyone eating beetroot.

John Raven
Clinical haematologist
Consultant physician
Bunbury, Qld

 

Authors' comments

Philip A Tideman, Rosy Tirimacco, Andrew St John and Gregory W Roberts, the authors of the article, comment:

This is an excellent point, and any counselling regarding the signs of bleeding should include alerting the patient to the possibility of red or pink urine or faeces after eating beetroot. Likewise, clinicians should enquire about beetroot consumption for any patient presenting with pink or red urine or faeces.

 

John Raven

Clinical haematologist, Bunbury, QLD

Consultant physician

Philip A Tideman

Australian Point of Care Practitioners Network

Integrated Cardiovascular Clinical Network, Country Health South Australia, Adelaide

Rosy Tirimacco

Australian Point of Care Practitioners Network

Integrated Cardiovascular Clinical Network, Country Health South Australia, Adelaide

Andrew St John

Australian Point of Care Practitioners Network

Gregory W Roberts

Pharmacy Department, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide