Dorothy FarrarAnticoagulants
Anticoagulants are medicinal substances that improve the flow properties of the blood or impair its clotting. For example, they play a role in the treatment of thrombosis and serve to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism and other serious diseases.
What are anticoagulants?
Anticoagulants are various drugs that prevent the blood from clotting. Medicine also refers to them as anticoagulants or antithrombotics. The colloquial term “blood thinner” is, strictly speaking, wrong: anticoagulants do not actually thin the blood. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), such as that contained in the drug Aspirin®, also has anticoagulant properties. However, the mechanism of action of ASA is different. Experts therefore do not regard it as an anticoagulant, but assign it to the cyclooxygenase inhibitors.
Effect and medical application
Anticoagulants are used to treat and prevent various diseases. An important field of treatment is the therapy and prevention of thrombosis . Thrombosis is the narrowing of a blood vessel by a clot of blood. Medicine also calls this blood clot a thrombus. The thrombus forms, for example, when the blood vessels narrow as a result of an underlying disease. Extreme lack of exercise can also lead to the formation of a blood clot.
Depending on the location of the thrombus, doctors speak of a venous or arterial thrombosis. The narrowing or even complete blockage of a blood vessel can jeopardize the supply of organs and tissue. The supply of oxygen to cells is particularly problematic: the cells die off in a relatively short time if they do not receive any more oxygen. This can lead to a stroke , heart attack or pulmonary embolism – depending on which organ is affected by the undersupply. Anticoagulants are used preventively in the case of atrial fibrillation or patients with artificial heart valves.
shapes and groups
One group of anticoagulants are the heparinoids. They include the active ingredient danaparoid, which is found in the drug Orgaran®. Danaparoid plays a role in the treatment of venous thrombosis, among other things. It inhibits coagulation factor X and thereby reduces the clotting properties of the blood. Heparins are anticoagulants that the human body also produces itself to regulate blood clotting. Another group are the coumarins or vitamin K antagonists. They include, for example, warfarin (Coumadin®).
The thrombin inhibitors also form their own group of anticoagulants. The thrombin inhibitor dabigatran is commercially available as Pradaxan® and prevents the enzyme thrombin from completing blood clotting. Argatroban is another thrombin inhibitor. The drug Argatra® occupies the active center of thrombin and thus disrupts its function. There are also other thrombin inhibitors that have a similar effect. Hirudins represent another group of anticoagulants; researchers developed the hirudin analogues from them. They have similar properties but allow for more controlled use than the original hirudins.
dosage
Taking anticoagulants in the correct dosage is of great importance. Tablets and syringes can contain active ingredients of different strengths. It is extremely important that patients are willing to take the anticoagulants as prescribed. Under no circumstances should you increase or decrease the dosage on your own. If you forget to take a dose, you must not take a double dose for the next dose without the express permission of the doctor treating you. The individual dosage of the anticoagulant depends, among other things, on which active ingredients are used, whether there are contraindications or other restrictions and how great the desired effect is.
Alternative Gerrungshemmer
Patients should not arbitrarily substitute pharmaceutical alternatives for anticoagulants. Such an exchange is not possible in every case, not even on medical prescription and under close observation. Treatment with cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as acetylsalicylic acid may be considered. The most well-known drug from this group is Aspirin®. Caution is also required when taking acetylsalicylic acid in addition to anticoagulants, as undesirable interactions can occur. Some foods may be related to blood clotting. For example, wild garlicPossess properties that prevent the development of thrombosis. However, such possible effects have not yet been adequately researched.
Interactions and side effects
The side effects and interactions of anticoagulants depend on which active ingredients are present in the respective preparation. They can therefore differ from drug to drug. Potential interactions must be ruled out individually by physicians and patients for all medications that the patient is taking. Side effects that may occur with many different anticoagulants include bleeding and hematoma .
Especially if the dose is too high, there is a risk of bleeding that is difficult to stop. Anticoagulants are therefore usually contraindicated in acute bleeding. Alcohol can affect how anticoagulants work. Other side effects and interactions are also possible. The active ingredient danaparoid, for example, can cause pain , swelling and skin reactions (e.g. hives ). Dabigatran from the group of thrombin inhibitors can cause undesired anemia . In the long term, heparins can increase the risk of bone loss (osteoporosis) and reduce the platelets in the blood too much.
Patients should be sure to tell any doctor treating them that they are taking anticoagulants. Above all because of the increased risk of bleeding, it also makes sense for patients to carry an ID card or note with them where it is easy to find, for example in their wallet. This allows doctors to administer life-saving antagonists in the event of an accident – otherwise there is an increased risk of death or serious injury due to large blood loss.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.