Anticoagulant Drugs

Anticoagulant drugs are those which are used to help the human body reduce the time taken in the process of blood clotting. Some of the commonly used anticoagulants are heparin, aspirin and warfarin. These can be administered to people who have high chances of developing strokes.

How does an anticoagulant work

Warfarin is usually administered in the tablet form to slow the time taken for clot. It controls the clotting process by targeting Vitamin K, which is an essential part of clotting.

Heparin, a natural anticoagulant in the blood, can also be administered through a drip on to the veins as well as injections. It affects thrombin. An increased level of heparin, lengthens the time the blood will take to clot. It is used for treating pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

A combination of both the drugs can be used.

Considerations

Anticoagulant drugs must be taken only on prescription by the concerned doctors. The medical team must be informed, if a patient is administered with any anticoagulant drugs.

Any improper usage of these drugs can cause hemorrhage, even though it will reduce the chances of stroke. So a careful monitoring of the medicine intake must be there.

Use of anticoagulants

Anticoagulants may be used if a person’s blood clotting time is too high. It helps in reducing the chances of stroke, where the blood clots very fast. These medicines can be administered to those who have stroke or have chances of developing them.

Side effects of using anticoagulants

Excessive bleeding can occur due to thinning of blood.

Warfarin will not be effective if the patient intakes high level of Vitamin K through supplements or through food. It is also not advised during pregnancy as it will cause fetal anomalies.

Aspirin on a long term results in internal bleeding. So it must be taken only on the advice of a doctor. The side effects must also be monitored carefully.

Over dosage of heparin can result in hair loss as well as osteoporosis.

WARFARIN

Warfarin is an anticoagulant which is used to in the prevention of clotting during deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism as well as Transient ischaemic attack. Warfarin is an oral anticoagulant.

Warfarin works by slowing down the production of vitamin K which helps in blood clotting.

Cautions

Avoid warfarin if:

• The patient has hypertension.
• The patient suffers from peptic ulcer
• The patient has bacterial endocarditis.
• The patient is pregnant or breastfeeding.

Warfarin should be administered carefully if the patient has bleeding problems, kidney failure or liver failure.

Side Effects of using Warfarin

The major side effect of using warfarin is bleeding. A blood test should be undertaken immediately if the patient experiences one of the following:

• blood in urine or faeces
• black faeces
• severe bruising
• prolonged nosebleeds (lasting longer than 10 minutes)
• blood in while vomiting
• coughing up blood
• unusual headaches
• in women, if there is increased bleeding during periods or bleeding from the vagina.

In very rare cases, there can be rashes, vomiting or diarrhea.