Highlights
- Anticoagulants help to keep small clots from forming in the body and help protect against heart attacks, strokes, and other issues tied to circulatory system blockages.
- Anticoagulants should be used strictly according to doctor’s directions, as they make bleeding incidents more likely.
- Finding the lowest price on anticoagulants can help you manage your condition.
When blood clots normally, it’s a natural healing mechanism. When it clots where it’s not supposed to, though, it can be a serious danger. Anticoagulants are medications that help lower the risk of abnormal blood clots.
About Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants, commonly called blood thinners, can break up blood clots or prevent the formation of new ones. Clots can break loose into the bloodstream and get stuck in small vessels, blocking blood flow to vital organs.
Anticoagulants can be prescribed as a preventive measure to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or pulmonary embolisms. They are also used to protect individuals who have had one of the following conditions:
- Heart valve surgery or replacement.
- Atrial fibrillation.
- A joint replacement, such as a hip or knee.
- A blood clotting disorder.
Warfarin
Likely the best known anticoagulant, warfarin belongs to the coumadin class of drugs. Warfarin works by inhibiting the action of vitamin K, which is crucial to clotting the blood.
Warnings and Contraindications — Warfarin
Warfarin needs to be taken at the same time every day and will take a few days to become fully available in the body. Be sure all of your healthcare providers know that you’re taking warfarin. This is particularly important if you have a history of any of these conditions:
- Hypertension
- Bleeding in the stomach or intestines
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Blood cell disorders
- Cancer
- Recent surgery
Side Effects — Warfarin
Bleeding is the most common side effect of warfarin. You should review all possible symptoms of internal bleeding with your doctor before beginning a course of warfarin. These include but are not limited to:
- Pain and swelling
- Weakness or dizziness
- Unusual bruises
- Unusual bleeding in the gums, nose, or vagina
- Bloody urine
- Tar-like stools or blood in stool
- Coughing up blood
- Vomiting where it resembles coffee grounds.
If you have any of these signs see a doctor right away.
Drug Interactions — Warfarin
Any medication that might cause bleeding or may interfere with coagulation should not be taken with warfarin. These include any herbal supplement or over-the-counter medication. Review everything you take with a healthcare professional before starting warfarin.
Factor Xa Inhibitors
Similar to warfarin, factor Xa inhibitors interfere with the clotting process by targeting a specific enzyme needed to complete coagulation. Their main advantage over warfarin is that their action in the body is more predictable, so there’s less need for careful monitoring.
Common factor Xa inhibitors include:
- Apixaban (Eliquis)
- Edoxaban (Savaysa)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
- Fondaparinux (Arixtra)
Warnings and Contraindications — Factor Xa Inhibitors
Factor Xa inhibitors should not be stopped suddenly; this can increase the risk of blood clots. If you have an artificial heart valve or have recently had a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), you may need to wait to heal before taking these medications.
Side Effects — Factor Xa Inhibitors
The most common concerns with factor Xa inhibitors are signs of internal bleeding as discussed above. There is also a possibility of allergic reactions.
Drug Interactions — Factor Xa Inhibitors
Like warfarin, any drug that might encourage bleeding should not be taken with factor Xa inhibitors. If you’re not sure if a drug will have an effect, ask your doctor.
Heparins
Heparin is a naturally occurring substance that can assist with preventing clotting. It remains unclear why the body naturally generates heparin, but it’s been in use for nearly a century, so it’s one of the better understood anticoagulants.
While standard heparin is still common, increasingly doctors prefer low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) such as dalteparin and enoxaparin because their action is more predictable and requires less monitoring. All heparin drugs are only available via injection and can be self-administered after the first dose.
Warnings and Contraindications — Heparins
Don’t take heparins if you have or have recently had:
- Bacterial endocarditis (infection of the heart lining)
- Hypertension, especially uncontrolled hypertension
- Any bleeding or clotting disorder
- Liver disease
- Gastrointestinal disease
Heparins can also elevate your potassium levels. If you need to monitor your potassium, don’t take heparin except when cleared by a doctor. Heparins can also cause prolonged menstrual bleeding, so women may need to discuss this issue with a provider.
Side Effects — Heparins
The most common side effects of heparin are:
- Unusual and/or uncontrolled bleeding
- Unusual bruising
- Abnormal liver function tests
- Allergic reactions
Drug Interactions — Heparins
Like any other anticoagulant, heparins should not be used with any drug that might cause bleeding.
Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
Similar to factor Xa inhibitors, direct thrombin inhibitors block an enzyme, thrombin, key to the clotting process. Like heparins, they’re only available in injection form. The most often used direct thrombin inhibitors are:
- Argatroban (Acova)
- Bivalirudin (Angiomax)
- Desirudin (Iprivask)
- Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
Warnings and Contraindications — Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
Do not use thrombin inhibitors if you have:
- Kidney disease
- Any bleeding disorder
- Any immune disorder that makes clotting more likely
- Gastric ulcers
If you’re pregnant or may become pregnant, do not use thrombin inhibitors.
Thrombin inhibitors should not be stopped suddenly as this may raise the risk of clotting.
Side Effects — Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
The most common side effects of thrombin inhibitors are:
- Stomach pain
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
Drug Interactions — Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
Like all anticoagulants, any drug that may cause bleeding or have bleeding as a side effect should not be taken while using thrombin inhibitors.
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If you’re managing your risk for stroke or other circulatory system problems, you don’t need to worry about your budget as well. BidRx can help by bringing pharmacists to you. Place your prescription on the site and they’ll offer their best price. Choose the one that works best for you and it’ll be delivered to your door or available for pickup locally, depending on the offer you choose.
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