AntiCoagulant Medicines

What are AntiCoagulants Medicines?

Anti-coagulants drugs are used to prevent the blood from clotting as quickly as normal in effective way.They are also known as blood thinners.However,the blood do not make any thinner itself.

Anti-coagulants mainly are chemical substance that reduces coagulation of the blood prolonging the clotting time.They are closely related to anti-platelets drugs and In the therapy for thrombotic disorders.

Why Anti-coagulants medicines are important?

Anti-coagulants are used to prevent blood clotting that may occur in your blood vessels due to some chemical reaction that makes blood thick which can cause blood clots that can block blood vessels(An artery or a vein).

When blood vessels are blocked with blood clots it stops the blood and oxygen circulation in the body and it can’t reach to the several parts of the body.For example like, To the heart,brain or lungs.In this situation the tissue supplied by a blocked vessel is damaged or died which results in serious problems like heart attack,strokes or transient ischaemic attacks(known as mini strokes),deep vein thrombosis(DVT) and pulmonary embolism.

Such kinds of problems can may increase risk of losing life.So it is better to take treatments under anti-coagulant if you have symptoms of blood coagulation. Anti-coagulants medicines are used to prevent blood clots as well the most common condition for this is atrial fibrillation.

Causes of blood clotting?

When there is a cut on blood vessel,the damaged tissue causes tiny cells in the blood which become sticky,clump like texture around the cut.Such activated platelets and the damaged tissue release chemicals which react with some other chemicals and proteins present in the blood, which are said to be clotting called coagulation factors.Generally there are 13 known factors of clotting which are called by their Roman numbers as factor I to factor XIII. These 13 factors interact together and cause a complex chemical reactions cause blood clotting or coagulation.

Working Mechanism of Anti-Coagulants

Anti-coagulants works by interfering with the chemicals what are responsible for making clotting or clotting factors. Warfarin,Phenindione and Acenocoumarol are Anti-Coagulant medicines that works by blocking the effects of vitamin K which is also responsible for causing some clotting factors.

Blocking of vitamin K and other chemicals by anti-coagulants drugs prevents blood clots forming so easily by increasing the time it takes to make fibrin to clot blood.These medicines usually takes two or three days in the process of its working with mixing up with certain chemicals to prevent from the symptoms of clotting.

On the other hand Dabigatran,Edoxaban, Apixaban and Rivaroxaban are drugs which comes in the class of anti-coagulates used to prevent a blood chemical called thrombin from in turn it prevents fibrin which is made fibrinogen. Dabigatran mainly works by binding to thrombin, Apixaban or Rivaroxaban prevents production of thrombin.These four anti-coagulants medicines works rapidly within two to four hours of intake.

Some Possible Side-effects with Anti-Coagulants

Like all medicines,anti-coagulants also contain some possible side effects on their consumption.It mainly contains those side effects in which you can bleed easily,which can cause problems such as-

• Presence of blood in urine.
• Passing of blood when you have poo or having black poo.
• Nosebleeds for long time.
• Bleeding in gums.
• Severe bruising.
• Presence of blood in vomiting or coughing blood.

However,These side effects are seen in few peoples and the benefits of taking anti-coagulants drugs will outweigh the risk of excessive bleeding and these side effects.Patients who are mainly prescribed with warfarin,phenindione and cenocoumarol have to go through regular blood tests to measure how quickly the blood clots.

Anti-coagulant can react with other medicines that you take,So it is important to tell your doctor about any other medicines that you are taking, including ones that you have bought rather than which have been prescribed to you.

Precautions While Consuming Anti-Coagulants

Inform your doctor if are going through other medical treatment before you take any anti-coagulants under their prescription. Always provide exact information of your symptoms like how longer you take to stop bleeding and other related symptoms,also about Including side effects on you of anti-coagulants.

In case if you take warfarin always carry it with yourself and yellow anti-coagulant treatment booklet which is also given to you which can help doctor at emergencies to known at what dose your are consuming warfarin. Avoid use of anti-coagulant drugs if your going to have surgery or an invasive test.

It is better to avoid alcohol consumption otherwise consume it in limited low volume of one or two units in any day.Try to avoid activities that can cause injury like abrasion,bruising, or cuts and safely use equipment and tools while working in daily life.Try to protect yourself from insect bites and use repellents when your may in contact of them. Anti-coagulants medicines are only given under prescription so do not consume them by yourself.