After the first few months of taking the medication, you might be able to go onto a slightly lower dose, as long as the doctor thinks your risk of a clot or stroke is under control. Some women find that using an intrauterine system (contraceptive coil) reduces the bleeding. Your GP or pharmacist can discuss the options with you. If your bleeding suddenly becomes much heavier, get medical help as soon as possible. This needs to be treated with medication and sometimes blood transfusions. Heavy periods can lead to low iron levels in your blood (anaemia). Some women find that blood-thinning medication can give them heavy periods or vaginal bleeding between periods. You will need more frequent checks if you are on some types of anticoagulant. You should have a checkup at least once a year to make sure the medication is working and check your other stroke risk factors. If you are taking any over-the-counter medications, let your doctor or pharmacist know. You should then decide together which anticoagulant would be the most suitable for you. Your doctor should talk to you about all the available options, along with their risks and benefits. Some common anticoagulants are apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, and warfarin. You are more likely to be given an anticoagulant if you have a heart condition like atrial fibrillation. These fibres knit together, and often combine with platelets, to form a clot. These substances enable fibres to form in your blood.
This depends on whether you have a heart condition and some other medical conditions.Īnticoagulants interfere with substances in your blood which are part of the clotting process (coagulation). This could include aspirin, clopidogrel and dipyridamole, or a combination of aspirin and dipyridamole.Īfter two weeks you might stay on the same type of medication, or move to an anticoagulant. You are most likely to be put on long-term antiplatelet treatment if you have atherosclerosis, which means having a build-up of fatty material (plaques or atheroma) inside your arteries. Some common antiplatelet drugs are aspirin, clopidogrel and dipyridamole.Īfter a TIA or ischaemic stroke, you are likely to be given anti-platelet medication immediately. But if platelets clump together inside an artery and form a clot, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.Īntiplatelet medications make it harder for the platelets to stick together so that a clot is less likely to form. This protects the wound and stops bleeding. They are an important part of the clotting process because they can clump together at the site of a wound, such as a cut on your skin. Platelets are small, sticky cells in your blood. Both reduce the risk of clots in your blood vessels, but they work in different ways. There are two main types of blood-thinning medicines: antiplatelets and anticoagulants.
ANTI STROKE PILLS HOW TO
Tips for taking blood-thinning medicationĪntiplatelet medications and how to take themĪnticoagulant medications and how to take them
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ANTI STROKE PILLS PROFESSIONAL
You should always get individual advice about your own health and any treatment you may need from a medical professional such as a GP or pharmacist
If you have any questions about medication, speak to your GP or guide can only give general information. This information about medicines can help you discuss your options with your doctor. Or you might need blood-thinning medication if you have a health condition such as a heart problem or blood-clotting disorder which could lead to a stroke. You might be given this medication after you have a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), to help you avoid another stroke.