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Anticoagulant: Difference between revisions
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(Created page with "An '''anticoagulant''' is a drug which prevents or treat thrombosis by reducing the blood's tendency to form thrombi. Anticoagulant drugs are widely used in medicine, both in internal medicine and surgery. Many patients are on anticoagulants. Anticoagulant drugs are never combined. == Types == * Vitamin K antagonists (<abbr>VKA</abbr>) * Unfractionated heparin (<abbr>UFH</abbr>) * Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) * Direct oral anticoagulants (DO...") |
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An '''anticoagulant''' is a drug which prevents | An '''anticoagulant''' is a drug which treats and prevents [[thrombosis]] by targeting the [[coagulation factors]] in the [[coagulation cascade]], thereby reducing the blood's tendency to form thrombi. | ||
Anticoagulant drugs are widely used in medicine, both in internal medicine and surgery. Many patients are on anticoagulants. Anticoagulant drugs are never combined. | Anticoagulants are mostly used to prevent thrombosis in the venous circulation. | ||
Anticoagulant drugs are widely used in medicine, both in internal medicine and surgery. Many patients are on anticoagulants. Anticoagulant drugs are never combined, unlike [[antiplatelet drugs]]. | |||
== Types == | == Types == | ||
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== Adverse effect == | == Adverse effect == | ||
The major adverse effect of anticoagulation is an increased risk of bleeding, especially [[Intracranial haemorrhage|intracranial bleeding]] in case of falls, and spontaneous [[gastrointestinal bleeding]] from ulcers or other lesions. These bleedings can be fatal. | The major adverse effect of anticoagulation is an increased risk of bleeding, especially [[Intracranial haemorrhage|intracranial bleeding]] in case of falls, and spontaneous [[gastrointestinal bleeding]] from ulcers or other lesions. These bleedings can be fatal. | ||
<noinclude>[[Category:Pharmacology]]</noinclude> | <noinclude> | ||
[[Category:Pharmacology]] | |||
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