Circulation. 2000;101:e225
(Circulation. 2000;101:e225.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.
Circulation Electronic Pages |
Coumadin Versus Warfarin
Tsung O. Cheng, MD
Professor of Medicine The George Washington University,
Washington, DC 20037
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Introduction
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To the Editor:
I hate to write a letter to the editor to comment on another
letter to the editor, especially if the author of the latter is a
respected colleague of mine. However, in this case, I must make an
important point regarding conformity to accepted writing style.
Ferguson1 in his sobering letter on the Organization to
Assess Strategies for Ischemic Syndromes (OASIS) pilot study
used the words coumadin and warfarin interchangeably, without initially
capitalizing the word Coumadin. Coumadin is the trademarked or brand
name for the drug whose generic name is warfarin.
The Instructions to Authors of Circulation specify that
generic rather than trademarked names be given. In addition, according
to the American Medical Association Manual of
Style,2 "Proprietary names (trademarks or
brand names) use initial capitals... When both the nonproprietary
(or generic) and proprietary (or brand) names are listed in the text,
the nonproprietary names should be listed first, with the proprietary
names capitalized and in parentheses."
Incidentally, warfarin itself is a hybrid word incorporating an acronym
of the patent holder, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, together
with the suffix "-arin," denoting a relation to coumarin.
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References
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Ferguson JJ. Long-term oral anticoagulant therapy
in patients with unstable angina or suspected non-Q-wave myocardial
infarction. Circulation. 1999;99:2968. Letter.[Free Full Text]
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American Medical Association Manual of
Style. 9th ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins;
1998:355–356.
Response
James J. Ferguson, MD
Cardiology Research, MC 1-191 Texas Heart
Institute,
1101 Bates St,
Houston, TX 77030
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Introduction
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Dr Cheng is absolutely correct in pointing out the distinction
between
the generic name warfarin and the trade name Coumadin.
The original
Organization to Assess Strategies for Ischemic
Syndromes
(OASIS) pilot study article
R1 correctly used the
term
warfarin throughout, but it did not specify the drug supplier.
My
letter
R2 did not.
For readers interested in learning more about the history of drug
development, including aspirin, heparin, warfarin, and
thrombolytic agents, a review by Mueller and
SchneidtR3 provides a wonderful overview. I promise to
reread it.
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References
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Anand SS, Yusuf S, Pogue J, et al.
Long-term oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with unstable angina
or suspected non-Q-wave myocardial infarction: OASIS Pilot Study
results. Circulation.. 1998;98:1064–1070.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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Ferguson JJ. Long-term oral anticoagulant therapy in
patients with unstable angina or suspected non-Q-wave myocardial
infarction. Circulation. 1999;99:2968. Letter.
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Mueller RL, Scheidt S. History of drugs for thrombotic
disease: discovery, development, and directions for the future.
Circulation. 1994;89:432–449.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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Introduction
References