Major hemorrhagic accident with vitamin K antagonists following the intake of curcumin: a rare case.

Abstract

The therapeutic window of vitamin k antagonists (VKA) is narrow. An overdose can therefore easily be secondary to a slight change in dose or an interaction with another substrate. We report the case of a 48-year-old patient followed for atrial fibrillation (AF) on mitral stenosis for 20 years under well-balanced Acenocumarol, who presented with a major hemorrhagic accident at VKA following the intake of a herbal medicine based on Turmeric (contains a chemical called curcumin). This case demonstrates that curcumin can potentially cause a bleeding event with VKAs. Clinicians should have the reflex to look for such interactions on interrogation in order to avoid recurrence and to ensure the efficacy and safety of anticoagulant therapy.