The main side effect is that you can bleed too easily, which can cause problems such as: Like all medicines, there's a risk of experiencing side effects while taking anticoagulants. Read more about things to consider when taking anticoagulants. Speak to your GP or anticoagulant clinic if you become pregnant or are planning to try for a baby while taking anticoagulants. Most anticoagulant medicines aren't suitable for pregnant women. If you're taking warfarin, you'll also need to avoid making significant changes to what you normally eat and drink, as this can affect your medicine. Speak to your GP, anticoagulant clinic or pharmacist before taking any other medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as some medicines can affect how your anticoagulant works. If you're going to have surgery or a test such as an endoscopy, make sure your doctor or surgeon is aware that you're taking anticoagulants, as you may have to stop taking them for a short time. There are several things you need to be aware of when taking anticoagulant medicines. Things to consider when taking anticoagulants
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If you're unsure how to take your medicine, or are worried that you missed a dose or have taken too much, check the patient information leaflet that comes with it or ask your GP, anticoagulant clinic or pharmacist what to do. In many cases, treatment will be lifelong. The length of time you need to keep taking your medicine for depends on why it's been prescribed. Most people need to take their tablets or capsules once or twice a day with water or food. Your doctor or nurse should tell you how much of your anticoagulant medicine to take and when to take it. Read more about when anticoagulants are used.
You may also be prescribed an anticoagulant if you've recently had surgery, as the period of rest and inactivity you need during your recovery can increase your risk of developing a blood clot. This may be because you've had blood clots in the past or you've been diagnosed with a condition such as atrial fibrillation that can cause blood clots to form.
Treatment with anticoagulants may be recommended if your doctor feels you're at an increased risk of developing one of these problems. strokes or transient ischaemic attacks ("mini-strokes").If a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a blood vessel, the affected part of the body will become starved of oxygen and will stop working properly.ĭepending on where the clot forms, this can lead to serious problems such as: Read more about heparin on the Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC) website. There's also an anticoagulant called heparin that can be given by injection. Warfarin and the newer alternatives are taken as tablets or capsules. Newer types of anticoagulants are also available and are becoming increasingly common. The most commonly prescribed anticoagulant is warfarin. They're sometimes called "blood-thinning" medicines, although they don't actually make the blood thinner.Īlthough they're used for similar purposes, anticoagulants are different to antiplatelet medicines, such as low-dose aspirin and clopidogrel. While they're useful in stopping bleeding, they can block blood vessels and stop blood flowing to organs such as the brain, heart or lungs if they form in the wrong place.Īnticoagulants work by interrupting the process involved in the formation of blood clots. They're given to people at a high risk of getting clots, to reduce their chances of developing serious conditions such as strokes and heart attacks.Ī blood clot is a seal created by the blood to stop bleeding from wounds. Anticoagulants are medicines that help prevent blood clots.
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