Medical liability risk avoidance: a case for adopting the International Normalized Ratio (INR) system

Since bleeding is a common adverse effect associated with the oral anticoagulant warfarin, maximizing the therapeutic potential of this drug requires close laboratory monitoring. The International Normalized Ratio (INR) is a system that has been developed to improve and standardize the assessment of the intensity of oral anticoagulation therapy. Clinical information and medicolegal arguments supporting the adoption of this system are reviewed. The potential for improvement in patient outcomes and minimization of medical liability favors the adoption of the INR system.