Anticoagulants (Systemic)
Category- Anticoagulant—Acenocoumarol; Anisindione; Dicumarol; Warfarin
DescriptionAnticoagulants decrease the clotting ability of the blood and
therefore help to prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels.
These medicines are sometimes called blood thinners, although they do not
actually thin the blood. They also will not dissolve clots that already have
formed, but they may prevent the clots from becoming larger and causing more
serious problems. They are often used as treatment for certain blood vessel,
heart, and lung conditions.
In order for an anticoagulant to help you without causing serious bleeding,
it must be used properly and all of the precautions concerning its use must
be followed exactly. Be sure that you have discussed the use of this medicine
with your doctor. It is very important that you understand all of your doctor's
orders and that you are willing and able to follow them exactly.
Anticoagulants are available only with your doctor's prescription, in the
following dosage forms:
Oral
-
Acenocoumarol
-
Anisindione
-
Dicumarol
-
Warfarin
-
Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Parenteral
-
Warfarin
-
Injection (U.S. and Canada)
Brand NamesSome commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.—
In Canada—
- Coumadin 4
- Sintrom 1
- Warfilone 4
Other commonly used names are nicoumalone
and dicoumarol
.
|
Note:
|
For quick reference, the following anticoagulants are numbered to
match the corresponding brand names. |
| This information applies to the following medicines: |
| 1. |
Acenocoumarol (a-see-no-COOM-a-rol)* |
| 2. |
Anisindione (an-iss-in-DYE-one)† |
| 3. |
Dicumarol (dye-KOO-ma-role)†‡ |
| 4. |
Warfarin (WAR-far-in)‡ |
| * Not commercially available in the U.S. |
| † Not commercially available in Canada |
| ‡ Generic name product may be available in the U.S. |
This information does
not
apply to ardeparin, dalteparin, danaparoid,
enoxaparin, or heparin.
|
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