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Be involved in your anticoagulation therapy

Find out more

Anticoagulant treatment

Have you just found out from your doctor that you need to start taking an oral

anticoagulant? Or are you already taking an oral anticoagulant but would like to

have more information?

Anticoagulants are drugs which make your blood “thinner”

· Some may refer to this as “thinning the blood” but they actually increase the

time it takes your blood to clot

. For example after an injury it will take longer

for the bleeding to stop than for someone that does not take an anticoagulant

· They are taken by millions of people worldwide every day

Anticoagulants are commonly prescribed for the following conditions

· Atrial ﬁbrillation

· Mechanical heart valves

· Venous thromboembolism

This booklet will give you background information about these conditions and how

they are usually managed.

Currently available anticoagulants include:

Warfarin

· Given as a tablet

· The most widely

used anticoagu-

lant in the world

· Needs moni-

toring

Heparin

· Has to be given

as an injection

or in a drip

· Usually not used

long-term

Aspirin

· Given as a tablet

· Not as effective

as Warfarin

Other oral

anticoagulants

· Given as a tablet

· Regular monito-

ring not required

· Not suitable for all

patients

“With warfarin and monitoring

I reduce my risk of stroke”