Blood thinners: how they work, types and side effects

Not just anyone can take blood thinning drugs. That is why, you can only take medication, if the doctor gives you the green light. Here is all the complete information you need to know about this drug, from how the drug works, who needs it, the types of blood thinning drugs, to the risk of side effects.

How do blood thinners work?

Blood-thinning drugs work to prevent blood clots from forming in blood vessels. Blood clots can block blood flow to the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. Blood clots can also block blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke.

With this drug, the possibility of new blood clots forming can be prevented, so that the blood can flow smoothly. That's also why this drug is also known as blood thinner drugs.

Blood thinners can be taken as capsules or tablets by mouth or as an injection. There are two types of thinners that can be found on the market, namely anti-platelet or anticoagulant thinners. Different types of drugs, different ways of working.

Antiplatelets work to prevent the collection of blood clotting cells in the blood vessels and arteries so that the blood can remain thin. Meanwhile, anticoagulant drugs work to prevent the blood from clotting and clotting by buying time for blood clots to occur.

Who needs to take blood thinners?

Your doctor may recommend this drug if you have one or more of the following conditions:

• Heart disease.
• Problems with blood circulation.
• Abnormal heart rate.
• Congenital heart defects

Your doctor may also prescribe this drug if you are going to have heart valve surgery.

List of drugs commonly used to thin the blood

As explained above, there are two classes of blood thinning drugs, namely anticoagulant drugs that prevent blood clots and antiplatelet drugs that keep the blood thin. The following is a list of blood thinning drugs based on their group.

Antiplatelet drugs

Drugs belonging to the anti-platelet group include:

Aspirin

Aspirin is a painkiller that is usually used to treat fever, headaches, and inflammation. However, aspirin is also an antiplatelet agent, which works to inhibit the formation of blood clots in stroke patients, thereby preventing stroke recurrence.

This anti-platelet drug will help prevent the blood platelets from making the blood too thick, thereby reducing the risk of clots. Taking aspirin regularly will reduce your body's ability to stop bleeding because doctors prescribe this medicine so that aspirin can thin the blood

Clopidogrel (Plavix)

Clopidogrel is a blood thinner drug used to prevent heart attacks in people who have recently had heart disease, stroke, or circulatory disease (peripheral vascular disease).

Clopidogrel is also used with aspirin in the management of shortness of breath that worsens from a recent heart attack, unstable angina, and to prevent blood clots after certain heart procedures, such as placing a stent or heart ring.

This blood-smoothing drug works to inhibit blood clots. So you are advised to be more careful so as not to get hurt while consuming it. The effect of this drug can prolong the wound healing process.

Dipyridamole

Dipyridamole is a drug used to prevent blood clots after heart valve replacement surgery in people with heart valve disease.

These anti-platelet drugs are usually used with aspirin to reduce the risk of death after a heart attack or to prevent a heart attack. The brand names commonly found in anti-platelet drugs with the active ingredient dipyridamole are premole, perdantine, and aggrenox.

Ticlopidine (Ticlid)

Ticlopidine is used to prevent stroke in people who cannot use aspirin or when taking aspirin alone is not effective at preventing stroke.

Especially for people who have placed a heart ring or implant stent, doctors usually prescribe aspirin and ticlopidine for 30 days or according to the patient's condition.

Prasugrel (Effient)

Prasugrel is taken by mouth once a day to help prevent serious heart and blood vessel problems. Do not stop a dose of prasugrel without the knowledge of your doctor. Stopping doses arbitrarily can increase the risk of heart attack and blood clots.

The side effects of this blood-thinning drug are that it can give side effects in the form of dizziness, excessive fatigue, pain in the back, arms or legs, and coughing.

Ebtifibatide (Integrilin)

Eptifibatide works to prevent heart attacks in people who have unstable angina. Integrilin is also used to prevent blood clots before surgery to facilitate the procedure to open arteries and insert surgical objects or instruments.

Ticagrelor

This anti-platelet drug is used in conjunction with aspirin to prevent heart and blood vessel complications that can be fatal in people who have had a heart attack or severe chest pain.

Ticagrelor is also prescribed in people who have a pin attached to a blocked blood vessel to improve blood flow. The brand name for the type of drug containing ticagrelor is brilinta.

Anticoagulant drug class

Here are some types of drugs including anticoagulant drugs:

Warfarin

Warfarin has the trademark names Coumadin and Jantoven. This drug works by reducing the formation of blood clots. Warfarin is used to prevent and treat heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots in the veins and arteries.

Enoxaparin

Enoxaparin is a blood thinner drug that is injectable or injectable. This drug is used to prevent blood clots in the legs of patients who are on bed rest or during abdominal surgery. In other conditions, enoxaprin is used together with warfarin to treat blood clots that have already occurred in the leg veins.

Enoxaparin keeps blood flow smooth by decreasing the activity of clotting proteins in the blood, thereby helping to reduce the risk of heart attack.

This anticoagulant drug golonngan is used in combination with aspirin to prevent complications of angina (chest pain) and heart attacks. The brand name for this drug is Lovenox.

Heparin

Heparin is a blood thinner drug that works to prevent blood clots and prevent possible complications of heart disease that can be fatal, such as a heart attack. Heparin is also commonly used for the prevention of blood clots after surgery. Heparin works faster than warfarin. So, this drug is usually given in an emergency situation that requires a flash effect.

The use of these anticoagulant drugs for a long time can increase the risk of osteoporosis. To get around this, doctors usually replace the dose with warfarin for long-term treatment therapy.

Edoxaban

Edoxaban (Savayasa) is a drug used to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its complications, including pulmonary embolism, after a patient is given injectable blood thinners for 5-10 days.

Fondaparinux (Arixtra)

Fondaparinux is a drug used to treat serious blood clots in the legs and / or lungs. Fondaparinux is only available as an injection, which is usually injected once a day depending on the individual's condition.

Dabigatran

Dabigatran is a tablet medication that is used to prevent strokes and dangerous blood blockages (for example in your legs or lungs), if you have a type of irregular heartbeat disease (atrial fibrillation).

Atrial fibrillation causes part of the heart to not work normally. This can cause blood clots to form and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. This anticoagulant drug has several side effects such as abdominal pain, heartburn, and nausea.

Apart from those listed above, there are still many other anticoagulant drugs, namely apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto).

What are the side effects of taking blood thinners?

There are several side effects associated with blood thinning drugs, both anticoagulants and anti-platelets, as a heart treatment.

Here are some of the side effects that can occur, as reported by the American Heart Association website:

• Bruising easily.
• Red or pink urine.
• Bloody stool or looks like coffee grounds.
• Menstrual bleeding that is heavier than usual.
• Black areas appear on the fingers, toes, hands or feet.

Every person is very likely to experience side effects differently. Some experience mild side effects, some are serious. Therefore, you still need to regularly check with your doctor while taking blood thinners. This is even more so if you also have diabetes, high blood pressure or hypertension, balance problems, heart failure, or liver or kidney problems.

If the side effects you feel are quite disturbing after taking blood thinners, do not hesitate to report to your doctor. That way, the doctor will consider reducing the dose or changing to another type of drug with less side effects.

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