Blood thinners may be taken via mouth, vein, or skin to prevent blood clots, which might cause a heart attack or stroke. But, they may have serious side effects, especially if taken with other medications.
Blood clots can stop blood flow to the heart, lungs, or brain and can create a life-threatening situation. To prevent this, you may need to take blood-thinning medications.
It’s important to take them exactly as directed. When you don’t take enough, the medication won’t be as effective. Taking too much can lead to severe bleeding.
Read on to learn about how they work, who should take them, what side effects may occur, and any natural remedies you can also use.
Some medications work by interfering with your body’s ability to clot blood and slowing the time it takes for blood to clot. Others work by preventing cells (specifically
) from gathering and forming clumps. These are known as
anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs
, respectively.
“Coagulate” is a medical term that means “to clot.” These blood thinners prevent blood clots by
the amount of time it takes your blood to clot.
Anticoagulants prevent clots from forming. Common anticoagulant blood thinners include:
(Coumadin, Jantoven)
(Lovenox)
heparin
Newer anticoagulants with less chance of bleeding complications include:
dabigatran (Pradaxa)
(Eliquis)
(Xarelto)
On the other hand, antiplatelet drugs
blood cells (called platelets) from clumping together and forming clots. Examples of antiplatelet drugs are:
aspirin
clopidogrel (
)
dipyridamole (Persantine)
prasugrel (Effient)
Taking antiplatelets and anticoagulants together can increase your risk of bleeding, however, depending on your medical conditions you may need to take a combination of these medications.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits with you and determine which medications are best for you. If you are on warfarin, your doctor will also carefully monitor your dosage and may occasionally run a
test. This blood test
your international normalized ratio (INR).
INR is the rate at which your blood clots. An appropriate INR rate varies from person to person according to their medical history. Staying within your INR range can prevent you from bleeding excessively or clotting too easily.
Both anticoagulant and anti-platelet drugs are used to prevent a blood clot from forming.
What conditions blood thinners treat
Doctors often prescribe anticoagulants to people who have been diagnosed with some form of heart disease. Conditions or situations that may require the use of these medications include:
(an irregular heart rhythm) to reduce the risk of
caused by blood clots forming in the heart and traveling to the brain
, to prevent blood clots from forming on the valve surfaces, which can lead to valve malfunction or stroke
as a preventive measure in people at high risk of stroke
following surgery, especially joint replacements
peripheral artery disease (PAD)
in combination with certain other conditions to reduce the risk of blood clots forming in narrowed arteries
in combination with certain
like atrial fibrillation to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of heart attack
Another class of medications called thrombolytics
to dissolve a blood clot that has already formed, such as in the case of
or
, for example. The way these drugs work is also referred to as fibrinolytic therapy.
Blood thinners may cause side effects in some people. Excessive bleeding is the
reaction. It can occur in a variety of ways, including:
heavy periods
bloody or discolored urine or feces
nosebleeds
bleeding gums
prolonged bleeding from a cut
bruising easily
Other side effects can include:
dizziness
muscle weakness
hair loss
rashes
The presence of blood thinners in your system can increase your chance of internal bleeding after an injury. Go to the hospital immediately if you experience any of these side effects after falling or bumping your head — even if you don’t have external bleeding.
Your doctor may tell you to limit your participation in contact sports to reduce the chance of bleeding. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t exercise or live your day-to-day life.
Swimming, walking, and jogging are excellent forms of exercise and are safe for most people taking anticoagulants. Discuss with your doctor which types of exercise may be best for you.
Tell your dentist you’re taking blood thinners to avoid excessive bleeding during regular teeth cleanings. It’s also important to protect yourself when using knives, scissors, or yard equipment.
Thrombolytics
excessive bleeding from the administration site, or spontaneous bleeding in the area where the clot is sitting. Potential complications can include:
blood in the urine or stool
nosebleed
abnormally heavy or unusual vaginal bleeding
stroke
The blood clot may also break into pieces. The pieces may then infrequently travel to other body parts and cause more problems.
Various foods, herbs, and medications can interfere with blood thinners. These substances can make the drug more or less effective than your dosage would suggest.
However, not all blood thinners are affected by the same substances. It’s important to speak with your doctor or cardiologist about your diet and how it may impact the effectiveness of your medication.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K
the effectiveness of some anticoagulants, such as
. You can continue to eat the foods your normally eat but if you are planning to make major changes than contact your doctor first. The following foods, if consumed in a different quantity than usual, may affect your level:
cabbage
brussels sprouts
broccoli
asparagus
endive
kale
lettuce
spinach
mustard greens
turnip greens
collard greens
Herbs
People who take anticoagulant medications should use herbal supplements and teas with caution. Several herbs interfere with the anticlotting abilities of blood thinners. They can also increase your risk of bleeding and the amount of time you bleed.
Speak with your doctor before using any herbal supplement or tea, especially the following:
chamomile
clove
dong quai
ginseng
goldenseal
Alcoholic beverages and cranberry juice can contribute to the development of side effects when using blood thinners. Avoid these items as much as possible.
Medications
Take prescription and over-the-counter medications with caution when you’re using blood thinners. Many medications can increase your chance of bleeding excessively if you take them with blood thinning medications.
Several antibiotics, antifungal drugs, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants
your chance of bleeding. This also includes
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
like Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Naproxen (Aleve). Make sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you’re taking.
Taking over-the-counter bismuth subsalicylate (
and others) can also
bleeding with blood thinners because it falls into the same medication category as aspirin.
In addition, taking certain thrombolytic medications with
may
your chance of developing
, or swelling. Combining these drugs with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs
your bleeding chance.
Many of the herbs that may interact with blood-thinning medications do so because they, too,
antiplatelet or anticoagulant properties.
Check with your doctor before eating these foods if you’re taking a blood-thinning medication because they could thin your blood too much and increase your risk of bleeding.
In addition, foods rich in vitamin E are natural blood thinners. Several oils
vitamin E, such as olive, corn, soybean, and wheat germ. Other food sources of vitamin E include:
spinach
tomatoes
mangoes
kiwis
peanut butter
almonds
sunflower seeds
broccoli
Natural anticoagulants may also benefit your heart health, but more research is needed to verify their benefits and safety. Take them with caution if you are already on anticoagulants or antiplatelets.
Blood clots can be dangerous because they interfere with blood flow to your vital organs. If you have issues with your heart, you may have a greater chance of developing blood clots and may need to take blood-thinning medications.
These drugs work by either thinning your blood or increasing the time it takes for blood clots to form. However, they may have some side effects.
It’s important to discuss your diet, lifestyle activities and other medications you take with a doctor prior to taking them and if other major changes happen after your start treatment. It’s also important to take these medications exactly as your doctor instructs.