Maybe It's Your Medications: How to Avoid Unnecessary Drug Therapy and Adverse Drug Reactions by Hedva Barenholtz Levy

Author:Hedva Barenholtz Levy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781510774841
Publisher: Skyhorse
Published: 2023-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

ANTICOAGULANT AND ANTIPLATELET DRUGS: DRUGS THAT INCREASE BLEEDING RISK

Anticoagulant drugs and antiplatelet drugs are two groups of medications that decrease the ability of the blood to clot or coagulate (thus the term “anti-coagulant”). Anticoagulants are used to treat blood clots that develop in the legs or lungs. They are highly beneficial in patients with atrial fibrillation to prevent blood clots that can cause a stroke and commonly are used in older adults for this reason. “Blood-thinners” is an informal term for anticoagulants.

Antiplatelet agents are the less-potent cousins of anticoagulants. They work by preventing platelets in the blood from sticking to each other to form a clot (thus the term “anti-platelet”). Antiplatelet drugs are used to prevent blood clots that cause strokes and heart attacks. They also are used following placement of a heart stent to prevent a clot forming around the stent. Common anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs are listed in Table 11-1. Note that aspirin, which is available over-the-counter (OTC), is an antiplatelet agent.

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