March 4, 2020: SafeMedicationUse.ca Newsletter - What You Need to Know about Your Blood Thinners
Blood clots can be dangerous. They can travel to the legs (causing leg pain), the lungs (causing chest pain or trouble breathing), the heart (causing a heart attack), or the brain (causing a stroke). If you are taking a blood thinner, it means you are at risk for getting blood clots. While blood thinners are helpful to prevent clots, they can also cause the opposite problem, namely bleeding. Making sure you get the right dose of a blood thinner, neither too much nor too little, is very important.For many years, people who needed a blood thinner were given a prescription for warfarin (brand name Coumadin). Over the last decade, several newer blood thinners have become available. These medications are more convenient than warfarin to use because they do not require regular blood tests. However, unlike warfarin, it is not as easy to reverse their effects if dangerous bleeding occurs or if you need emergency surgery. SafeMedicationUse.ca has the following advice for consumers who need blood thinners. Read more …
