# INR testing



## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

Hello again
I've not been here for a while - quick recap: we were going to move to Mallorca, did all our research, tried a 3 month rental - all good. Came back to UK to sell up and my husband had a stroke and found out he had Atrial Fibrillation (AF). He is fully recovered from the stroke but because of the AF, has to take Warfarin to prevent a further blood clot.
For various reasons we have now decided that we would like to move to mainland Spain rather than Mallorca.
We want to spend 2 months in Tarragona doing further research around southern Catalunya. During this time my husband will need to have regular INR tests, and have someone adjust his warfarin medication accordingly. We will be visitors so not registered with a local doctor. Does anyone have any advice on how and where to get his tests done - we're perfectly happy to pay of course as our travel insurance won't cover it, we do have EHIC's .
Thank you


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Hi Callie. Sorry to hear about your husband's stroke, but I'm happy to hear he's recovered. We're not allowed to post on this forum links to other forums, but I saw on another forum that the blood test for INR costs 10-20 euros. I would think, however, that your EHIC card will cover this, as it's necessary treatment. 

Another thing you might want to consider is getting a prescription for home testing with INR strips, and you can take them with you from the UK to Spain. Here's some information from one of the companies that offers that:

https://shop.coaguchek.com/buy/test-strips/


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## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks Allheart
One of the things we want to research when we're over is what the protocol is for home testing. In our part of the UK the health authority will not prescribe the testing strips and any change to the prescription requires an 'official' test and dosing anyway - so there's not really much point in buying a machine here.
What we're not clear about is where we can go in Tarragona to get the tests done, and ask about the local protocols in the first instance.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

callie said:


> Hello again
> I've not been here for a while - quick recap: we were going to move to Mallorca, did all our research, tried a 3 month rental - all good. Came back to UK to sell up and my husband had a stroke and found out he had Atrial Fibrillation (AF). He is fully recovered from the stroke but because of the AF, has to take Warfarin to prevent a further blood clot.
> For various reasons we have now decided that we would like to move to mainland Spain rather than Mallorca.
> We want to spend 2 months in Tarragona doing further research around southern Catalunya. During this time my husband will need to have regular INR tests, and have someone adjust his warfarin medication accordingly. We will be visitors so not registered with a local doctor. Does anyone have any advice on how and where to get his tests done - we're perfectly happy to pay of course as our travel insurance won't cover it, we do have EHIC's .
> Thank you


My mother was prescribed warfarin in the UK when a blot clot developed following surgery. When she came to Spain to live with us the doctor said warfarin is not used here - it was, she said, regarded as an outdated medication. She prescribed heparin instead which was covered by her EHIC card to start with while she was waiting for her registration with the Spanish health service.


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## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

I can completely understand heparin being given for DVT's but the prevention of stroke in AF patients needs a different mechanism of action for the maintenance of a therapeutic INR. The Revista Espanola de Cardiologa has published numerous recent articles confirming that warfarin as it's called in the UK/acenocumerol (US) or Sintron (Spain) is still the anticoagulant of choice in patients with AF.

I'm wondering if it would be easier to get an INR test at a holiday resort eg Salou or Sitges where there are always private medical clinics rather than trying to find one in Tarragona city. Internet searching is giving me lots of aesthetic and dental clinics but no straightforward medical ones in the city.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

callie said:


> Thanks Allheart
> One of the things we want to research when we're over is what the protocol is for home testing. In our part of the UK the health authority will not prescribe the testing strips and any change to the prescription requires an 'official' test and dosing anyway - so there's not really much point in buying a machine here.
> What we're not clear about is where we can go in Tarragona to get the tests done, and ask about the local protocols in the first instance.


You're welcome. 

That would be great if you can get the home testing kit at some point.

If I were you, I would call one of the public centres in Tarragona and ask them what the protocol is in Spain, and if you can use your EHIC card to go to the public clinic to do that. My guess is they'll do it, as it's necessary. They're called Centro de Salud, and here they are for the City of Tarragona:

Centros de salud de la Provincia de Tarragona

If they won't do it on your EHIC card, in all likelihood they will be able to direct you to a private service.


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