- Some common names of anticoagulants are warfarin and heparin. They don't totally prohibit the blood from clotting, but they increase the amount of time that it takes to form the clots. They can also keep the blood clots from becoming too large.
- Sometimes, coagulation occurs randomly when there is not an injury. A blood clot can form in the blood vessels or veins and travel through the bloodstream. In most cases, the clot will dissolve on its own. However, sometimes the clot will block an artery, causing a variety of different problems. More minor clots can cause varicose veins. However, if the clot moves to the brain or heart, the person can suffer a stroke or heart attack. Pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening situation in which a blood clot travels to the lungs.
- The need for an anticoagulant drug treatment is determined by the patient's risk for developing blood clots. Usually, these drugs are used for prevention and not treatment. If a blood clot has already formed, doctors will usually use a thrombolytic treatment, which actually dissolves the blood clot. Anticoagulants are more for the purpose of making sure those clots don't form in the first place. They are also usually prescribed after a patient has been treated for a blood clot, to prevent recurrence.
- Risk factors that may necessitate the use of anticoagulants include previous blood clots, obesity, chronic heart failure, smokers and people who are not very mobile.
- Because anticoagulants thin the blood, there are some important precautions that you should take if you are on them. Always tell any doctor or dentist you visit that you are on them. Take the medication exactly according to your doctor's instructions. Always ask your doctor before starting any other medications or vitamins. This includes all over-the-counter medications, too. Certain drugs such as aspirin can further thin the blood.
