Anticoagulants, often called blood thinners, are medications that are often prescribed by doctors to kiwis who are at risk of blood clots, strokes, heart attacks and other serious conditions. Whether you are recovering from surgery or have a long-term health condition, anticoagulant medication is very important. In this pharmacist guide, we’ll explain what anticoagulants are, list the most common medicines, examine the side effects, interactions, and how to get them from ZOOM Pharmacy.
Anticoagulants are a group of medicines that are used to prevent or treat blood clots. These medicines are commonly called blood thinners; however, they don’t really thin your blood. They interrupt the blood clotting process by interfering with the proteins in your blood involved in coagulation, this increases the time it takes for clots to form.
They help prevent dangerous blood clots from forming in your blood vessels and can stop existing clots from getting bigger. This is important because without treatment these clots can block circulation and lead to stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism.
Anticoagulant medication can come in various forms including oral medicines and injections. Most commonly people will be prescribed anticoagulants to be taken orally. Anticoagulant medicines that come as tablets or capsules are:
*not funded.
Dabigatran and rivaroxaban are also called direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).
Blood thinners and anticoagulants are terms often used interchangeably when discussing medicines that reduce the risk of blood clots forming. However, technically blood thinners can also refer to antiplatelet medicines too.
Antiplatelet medicines (e.g., Aspirin) are another type of blood thinner medication with a different way of working. They interfere with the binding of platelets, preventing them from clumping together.
In summary while all anticoagulants are blood thinners, not all blood thinners are anticoagulants.
While warfarin remains the most widely used and well-established anticoagulant globally, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have become the preferred choice in primary care for many patients.
DOACs like dabigatran and rivaroxaban are now considered the “go to” choice in primary care due to their ease of use, being less influenced by diet and other medications, along with a quicker onset of action versus warfarin. A set dose of DOACs can be prescribed, and there is minimal need for monitoring such as blood tests.
In most patients with arterial fibrillation, DOACs are superior for reducing the risk of stroke and all-cause mortality.1,2 They also reduce the risk of intracranial bleeding, while having a comparable risk of major bleeding versus warfarin.1,2 Rates of major bleeding are also lower in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) treated using DOACs versus warfarin.3
Anticoagulants do have potential side effects and important interactions to know about. Side effects can depend on the anticoagulant medication you are taking. But the most common side effect risk with any anticoagulant is bleeding.
Contact your healthcare provider if you notice any of the signs of serious bleeding, such as:
Food and drug interactions
Medications, foods, herbs and vitamins can interact with anticoagulant medicines. Always consult with your pharmacist or healthcare provider before starting any new medicines, herbal supplements, vitamins or dietary changes.
Using ZOOM Pharmacy is easy.
Ask your medical centre to send your prescription to ZOOM Pharmacy or request it via your patient portal.
We’ll let you know as soon as your prescription arrives. Our friendly team will confirm your details and answer any questions you may have about your medicines.
Then we pack your medicines and deliver them to your door via NZ Post courier—within 1–3 working days, anywhere in New Zealand.
If you have any questions, contact Zoom Pharmacy today! We are here to help.
