What is an Anticoagulant?
Anticoagulants are medicines that act on the blood so that clots do not form. These medications are important because they prevent serious medical problems including stroke, heart attack, or problems in the legs or lungs. Medications that anticoagulated the blood come in various forms. Some are given as an injection under the skin, while others are given as an oral tablet.
Examples of Anticoagulant Medications Include:
Injections
- Arixtra (Fondaparinux)
- Lovenox (Enoxaparin)
- Heparin
Oral Tablets
- Coumadin (Warfarin or Jantoven)
- Pradaxa (Rivaroxaban)
- Eliquis (Apixaban)
- Savaysa (Edoxaban)
Warfarin was the first oral tablet available for use to anticoagulate blood. It is considered as the “blood standard.”
Patients on Warfarin have to get blood tests regularly. This test is called Protime/International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR). The results of this test determine the amount of Warfarin required to prevent blood clots.
Patients taking Warfarin should know how to use Warfarin safely.