Does one’s diet change when starting on blood thinners? Can you go for a jog if you’re consuming blood thinners? How do you know what the side effects of blood thinners are?
Blood thinners are prescribed to help the blood flow smoothly through one’s veins and arteries by preventing blood from clotting. By doing so, this can help to prevent life-threatening medical conditions such as heart attack and stroke. On top of that, it can also help to delay the formation of blood clots.
No doubt, the benefits of blood thinners are prominent but when prescribed blood thinners, one should also have a clear understanding of the medication. This will give you better awareness of potential side effects, have a better understanding as to why you should adhere to your medication regime and to also take note of activities or food to avoid. There are also possible contraindications with other medication, when consuming blood thinners.
Addressing some common questions on blood thinners this month, is pharmacist from Selcare Pharmacy, Azza Md. Ghazali.
1Twenty80: What are blood thinners?
Azza Md. Ghazali: Blood thinners are the common term used for antiplatelet and anticoagulant medicine. Anticoagulants delay the blood clotting process by reducing the formation of fibrins which in turn prevents formation of thrombus in the blood vessels. It is used to treat conditions such as atrial fibriallation, congestive heart diseases, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and pulmonary embolism. Some examples of anticoagulants are heparin, warfarin, dabigatran, apixaban, rivaroxaban and edoxaban.
Antiplatelets on the other hand, keep blood from clotting by preventing aggregation of platelets in the blood. It is commonly used as a secondary prevention for high risk individuals with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, smokers, bed-ridden individuals and surgical patients. Examples of antiplatelets include aspirin, clopidogrel and ticlopidine.
It is advisable for those who recently started on blood thinners to be reviewed by a pharmacist to ensure that there are no drug-drug interactions with the current regimen.
1Twenty80: What are some common side effects caused by blood thinners?
Azza: Individuals who have been prescribed blood thinners are counseled to look out for these symptoms:
- Bruising of unknown origin.
- Bleeding gums.
- Black coloured stool/bloody stool.
- Change in urine colour.
- Heavy menstrual flow than normal.
- Gastrointestinal issue (gastritis, stomach aches and so on).
However, please consult your doctor or pharmacist if these symptoms persist or worsen over time.
1Twenty80: Does an individual need a Medicine Use Review if blood thinners are recently included in their medication regime?
Azza: It is advisable for those who recently started on blood thinners to be reviewed by a pharmacist to ensure that there are no drug-drug interactions with the current regimen. This is also done to make sure that they are compliant to the new regimen.
1Twenty80: Do blood thinners have any interactions with other medications or supplements?
Azza: Yes, they do. Painkillers like NSAIDs are known to cause bleeding and increase risk of gastric ulcers in patients taking blood thinners. Other medications such as certain antibiotics, antidepressants and anti-epileptic medicines can affect blood thinners efficacy.
As for supplements, gingko biloba, St John’s-wort, garlic oil, ginseng and even vitamin K are known to have interactions with blood thinners especially warfarin. It is vital that you inform your doctor or pharmacist that you are on blood thinners before taking any new medication or supplements.
1Twenty80: For an individual who has just been prescribed with blood thinners, what are some of the cautions to take note of?
Azza: You should:
- Take your medication exactly as advised by the doctor.
- Inform your healthcare practitioners before undergoing any surgical procedures including dental surgery.
- Consult with your healthcare practitioners before starting any new medication or supplements.
- Inform family members about your new regimen.
- If you are taking warfarin, regularly check your INR to monitor the efficacy of your medication.
- If you are taking warfarin, always carry along your warfarin book.
Patients are always advised to reduce or stop consuming alcohol when they are on blood thinners. However, patients with warfarin need to take extra precaution with their vitamin K consumption because it affects the mechanism of action of the drug.
1Twenty80: Does a person’s diet need to change when consuming blood thinners?
Azza: Most of the time there won’t be a drastic change in the diet as long as they follow the doctor’s advice. Patients are always advised to reduce or stop consuming alcohol when they are on blood thinners. However, patients with warfarin need to take extra precaution with their vitamin K consumption because it affects the mechanism of action of the drug. High vitamin K foods include leafy vegetables, broccoli, soy-based products, purple cabbage and animal liver.
1Twenty80: Are there any activities that one should avoid when consuming blood thinners?
Azza: Any activity that can incite an injury may be detrimental to individuals taking blood thinners. The reason being that it may slow down the wound healing process and cause unnecessary complications such as infection and loss of blood. Therefore, it is advisable that patients take precautionary measures when dealing with sharp objects such as shaving, cooking and sewing.
1Twenty80: Who should not be taking blood thinners?
Azza: Only patients who are hypersensitive or develop an allergy towards a specific blood thinner. Fortunately, there is a wide selection of blood thinners that we can choose from to ensure patients receive the best treatment for their condition.
1Twenty80: Can blood thinners be fatal?
Azza: Generally, blood thinners are safe to be taken as long as you adhere to the doctor’s instructions.
1Twenty80: Lastly, based on your experience as a pharmacist, what are some common misconceptions of blood thinners and could you kindly clarify them?
Azza: They include:
#1 Taking supplements that improves blood circulation will get me off my blood thinners
Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before wanting to start on any supplement or traditional medicine as it can affect the medicine or your condition.
#2 Blood thinners will thin my blood
Blood thinner is just a layman term used for the public. It does not thin your blood, instead it prevents your blood from clotting up and blocking your blood vessels.
If you’ve just been prescribed with blood thinners or would like a better understanding of it, your community pharmacist will be able to give you a better picture of your medication and its regime.
