6 things to know when starting to use anticoagulants

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Anticoagulants are a class of medications that interfere with the body's clotting process. They work by helping to dissolve existing clots or by reducing the chances of clots forming in the first place.

By preventing blood clots, anticoagulants help prevent emergencies such as stroke, heart attack, and pulmonary embolism,” explains Austin Chen, certified pharmacist at Express Scripts Pharmacy.

Blood thinners are prescribed for several different health conditions, including:

Abnormal heart rhythm : Atrial Ivosidenib 250mg (Ivosenib) fibrillation (irregular and often very fast heart rhythm) can cause blood to pool in the heart chamber and increase the risk of clots forming. Blood thinners can help reduce the risk of clots.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): thrombosisDeep venous vein is a condition in which a clot forms in the deep veins, usually in the leg. Anticoagulants are used to prevent the clot from growing or moving and going to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs).



Patients with a history of previous strokes or heart attacks: By preventing clots from forming in the coronary arteries, blood thinners may reduce the risk of having another stroke or heart attack.
Types of anticoagulants
There are several types of anticoagulants:

Antiplatelet agents , such as low-dose aspirin and Plavix (clopidogrel), prevent platelets from clumping together and reduce the risk of clots.
"Most anticoagulants are taken on an outpatient basis by mouth, but there are some that are generally administered in a hospital setting via intravenous or subcutaneous injections, such as heparin and Lovenox (enoxaparin)," Chen notes.