For the coagulation system, we first explored the influence of warfarin, the only oral anticoagulant available at the time of the MDCS baseline exam, which acts to reduce concentrations of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X, as well as proteins C and S. Warfarin may confound the association of coagulation markers with incident HF, as it is commonly used in subjects with atrial fibrillation (AF), and AF is often the first manifestation of HF20. Here, F2 is linked to atrial fibrillation.