New Blood Thinner Medicines

Anticoagulants, a drug group known as “blood thinners”, help prevent the formation of blood clots. Blood clots can prevent blood flow and therefore limit oxygen supply to tissues and organs. Clots most commonly occur in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism). Other serious medical conditions that can arise from lack of oxygen due to blood clotting include heart attacks and strokes. Some conditions may put a person at risk for developing blood clots such as obesity, genetic factors, smoking, and immobility. Irregular heart rhythms and surgery may also promote blood clots, and these individuals may be placed on special medications to reduce their risk.

Until recently, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) was the only oral anticoagulant available. This blood thinner blocks vitamin K, which is necessary to make the substances that cause clotting. Warfarin requires frequent laboratory tests to make sure the blood doesn’t get too thin. Dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) are a new type of oral blood thinners that block different factors for clotting, and help prevent clots and reduce the risk of stroke. Although frequent laboratory tests aren’t required, these drugs still have the potential to make blood too thin and cause other side effects.




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