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Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are blood thinners. (anti = against, coagulant = clotting). By interfering with the blood's natural clotting system, they help prevent blood clots from forming within blood vessels and slowly dissolve those that have already formed. Most anticoagulants are given intravenously or by injection. Only Coumadin (warfarin) is given orally (by a pill).
Uses:
- To treat blood clots in the legs (phlebitis)
- To treat blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolus)
- To treat unstable angina or a heart attack
- To prevent strokes in patients with mechanical heart valves and many patients with atrial fibrillation or blood clots in their heart chambers
- To treat people who have unusually thick blood due to abnormal coagulation
| Chemical name |
Brand names |
| heparin |
(none) |
| enoxaparin |
(Lovenox) |
| dalteparin |
(Fragmin) |
| ardeparin |
(Normiflo) |
| nadroparin |
(Fraxiparine) |
| reviparin |
(Clivarine) |
| tinzaparin |
(Innohep) |
| lepirudin |
(Refludan) |
| danaproid |
(Orgaran) |
| warfarin |
(Coumadin) |
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