Although they are called blood thinners (anticoagulants), these medicines do not really thin your blood. Instead, they decrease the blood’s ability to clot. De-creased clotting keeps fewer harmful blood clots from forming and from blocking blood vessels. Using blood thinners reduces your risk for heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots in the legs (called phlebitis, deep venous thrombosis, or DVTs).
Your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner if you have had a heart valve replaced or if you have atrial fibrillation, a history of DVTs, or CHF. Blood thinners may be prescribed to treat a blood clot in the leg. They keep the blood clot from getting bigger, but do not break up the clots that have already formed. Blood thinners can be given as an injection under the skin into a vein or can be taken as a pill.
Blood thinners such as heparin are injected by a needle into your bloodstream. Heparin works quickly (within minutes) to decrease clotting in the blood. The oral anticoagulants require several doses to take effect. There-fore, when the need for anticoagulation is emergent, doctors will give heparin but will treat with oral anti-coagulants at the same time.
The heparin maintains a level of anticoagulation immediately, while the oral anticoagulant reaches its therapeutic level after several days. When the oral anticoagulants have reached a therapeutic level, the intravenous heparin will be stopped. A new form of heparin (called low molecular weight heparin) may be prescribed for you to take at home under your doctor’s supervision.
Common blood thinners are:
Generic Name Brand Name
warfarin Coumadin
anisinidione Miradon
(low molecular weight heparins)
dalteparin Fragmin
enoxaparin Lovenox