Your body needs a good flow of blood to get the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Some medical conditions may affect the healthy blood flow, you runs the risk of heart attack or stroke.
To help reduce this risk, your doctor may prescribe a medication that will keep the blood from clotting too easily. These drugs are commonly called anticoagulants .
While a blood thinner does not really "thin" your blood, it can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots. If you already have a blood clot, these drugs help prevent fat and can help prevent your body to form new clots.
These drugs may also increase the risk of bleeding, so it is important to know when bleeding or bruising is unusual and when talking to your doctor.
What is a blood clot?
If you have a cut or bruise, a blood clot is a good thing. When you damage a blood vessel, small pieces of cells in the blood called platelets stick together to form a clot and to send a signal to attract more platelets to your injury. Once your injury heals, your blood clot usually dissolves on its own.
Coagulation is an important function that your body needs to heal itself, but certain medical conditions, behavior or situations can cause dangerous blood clots to form. This can be life threatening if a clot travels and blocks blood flow to the brain, heart or lungs.
When a blood thinner used?
Anticoagulants are generally prescribed for people who have conditions that affect healthy blood flow, including:
- atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that can cause blood in the upper chambers of the heart, which can cause blood clots to form
- congenital heart defects or heart problems that you are born with
- deep vein thrombosis, or blood clot in a large vein, usually in the leg
- heart valve surgery
- a history of heart attack or stroke
- a history blood clots
types of blood thinner medication
There are two main types of blood thinners.
anticoagulants
anticoagulants, such as warfarin (or the name of the brand Coumadin®), slow the chemical reaction that occurs when your blood is trying to coagulate and can also keep clots are already trained to grow. Some anticoagulants require that you have your blood checked regularly to ensure they are working properly.
antiplatelet drugs
antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin or clopidogrel (or the name of the brand Plavix®), keep your platelets from sticking together.
What you need to know
Because anticoagulants affect the ability of your blood to clot, you may bleed more easily than usual. To avoid complications, it is very important to take your medicine exactly how your doctor told you.
Some other drugs and foods are more or less strong anticoagulants. Talk to your doctor about all medicines you take, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements, as well as your diet to ensure that you are not at risk of a bad interaction .
In emergencies, carry a card in your wallet that lists all the medications you take. It's also a good idea to have a medical alert bracelet showing that you are taking a blood thinner
Call your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms, which can be a sign of major bleeding: .
- bleeding from your gums or nose that does not stop in a few minutes
- A sore that does not stop bleeding after you apply pressure to it
- blood in your urine or stool
- stools that are black as tar
- Vomiting or coughing up blood
- Bruises that appear without reason, become larger or more painful, or are sudden and severe
For more information on anticoagulants, visit the UPMC heart and Vascular Institute online or call 1-855-UPMC-HVI (876-2484).
0 Komentar