But if you have ongoing health problems, you may need to take them long term. Some people only need these meds for a few months. ( DVT is a dangerous type of blood clot that often forms in the leg.) You also have a greater risk for blood clots if you’re overweight, recently had surgery, or have an artificial heart valve. You may also need this type of medicine if you have a heart or blood vessel disease, an irregular heart rhythm, lupus, or deep vein thrombosis. You may need them if you’ve already had a heart attack or a stroke, since they can lower your risk of having a second one. They’re often prescribed to people at risk for future blood clots, rather than to treat existing ones.Ībout 2 million to 3 million people take blood thinners every year. These drugs are weaker than anticoagulants. These help blood cells and platelets (tiny pieces of blood cells) bind together.Īntiplatelets keep platelets from sticking to each other and to the walls of blood vessels. Your body needs this to make proteins called clotting factors. Some anticoagulants do this by competing with vitamin K from the liver.

They can also slow the growth of existing ones. But they do keep blood from forming new clots. They come in pill form, and include:īlood thinners don’t actually make your blood thinner. These target tiny particles in the blood called platelets. The second class of blood thinners is called antiplatelets. Some of the more widely know anticoagulants include Most come in pill form though some such as heparin, fondaparinux, dalteparin and enoxaparin are given as a shot or as an intravenous infusion. These keep your blood from clotting, or turning into solid clumps of cells that stick together. Still, it's important to learn about both before you start taking them. The lifesaving benefits of these drugs often outweigh the potential dangers. But they also come with risks: For example, they’ll cause you to bleed more than usual when you cut yourself. They can protect against heart attacks and strokes.

They’re used to treat some types of heart disease and heart defects, and other conditions that could raise your risk of getting dangerous clots. They also keep blood clots from forming or getting bigger. Blood thinners are medicines that help blood flow smoothly through your veins and arteries.

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