Blood Thinners
Elderly nursing home patients prescribed a multitude of medications following a heart attack may live longer compared to those given just one drug, but it can come at a cost: It may negatively impact their quality of life. Researchers examined claims data from nearly 4,800 nursing home residents, most of…
Patients with an irregular heartbeat who take a blood thinner as well as an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) are much more likely to experience major bleeding and stroke compared to those not on a pain killer. Researchers looked at results from a trial that included more than 18,000 patients and…
People over 50 who take the blood thinner warfarin may have a lower risk of developing cancer.Researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway, looked at the medical records of around 93,000 people taking the drug and compared them with with more than 1.1 million people not taking warfarin (Coumadin). They…
The new class of blood thinners does not have a higher risk of major bleeding compared with warfarin, an older anticlotting drug that for decades has been the mainstay for treatment. The class, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), is used to treat venous thromboembolism (VTE), a blood clot in the vein…
Non–Vitamin K Oral Blood-Thinners Can Cause Bleeding When Combined With Other Drugs A class of blood-thinners known as non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) is associated with the risk of major bleeding when combined with other drugs. Researchers found 4 drugs in particular that cause serious interactions: amiodarone (for arrhythmia), fluconazole…
Xarelto, one of the newer generation of blood thinners, was approved by the FDA in 2011. It’s making news lately — and not for good reason. Lawsuits alleging rivaroxaban (Xarelto) harms — or even kills — keep piling up. Moreover, the FDA has concerns about the testing device used in…
Many patients who take the blood thinner warfarin may be at an increased risk of side effects of the drug since they are not knowledgable about food and drug interactions associated with the medication. The results of a recent study evaluating warfarin patients’ understanding of the drug and interactions is…
Taking the blood thinner warfarin at the same time as certain diabetes drugs increases the risk of hospitalization, a study from the University of Southern California warns. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 466,000 Medicare patients. They found that those who took warfarin along with the diabetes drugs glipizide or glimepiride…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clear the drug Praxbind for emergency use to reverse the blood-thinning effects of Pradaxa. The FDA stated that the use of Praxbind to reverse the blood-thinning effects of Pradaxa puts patients at risk for blood clots and stroke, and they should resume taking…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the results of a study on the safety and efficacy of dabigatran (Pradaxa) in 134,000 Medicare recipients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. New users of dabigatran — versus warfarin (blood thinner) — had reduced risks of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage and death. The risk…
Blood thinners have saved countless lives. If you have atrial fibrillation — an abnormal heart rhythm, suffered by more than 2 million Americans — or if you were otherwise at risk of forming dangerous blood clots, it’s likely you’ve been prescribed a blood-thinning drug, chiefly warfarin (Coumadin). Starting in 2010,…
When Beverly Wilkerson, 58, Sherman Oaks, CA, woke up with a pounding headache and jaw pain last summer, she popped two Aleve. (The recommended dosage is one at a time.) She forgot to take water and food with the pills. Later on, she took two more, again forgetting the water…
