Benefits
- Helps prevent harmful blood clots from forming in the blood vessels.
- Can lower the risk of stroke in patients with artificial heart valves or atrial fibrillation.
Action
- Decreases blood clotting.
Potential Side Effects
- nosebleeds
- bleeding from the gums
- unusual bleeding while shaving
- easy bruising
Common Names
- Warfarin (Coumadin®)
- Dalteparin (Fragmin®)
- Heparin (various)
- Dabigatran (Pradax®)
- Danaparoid (Orgaran®)
- Tinzaparin (Innohep®)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto®)
- Enoxaparin (Lovenox®)
Note
For some of these medications, your doctor will send you for weekly or monthly blood tests to ensure you are taking the correct doses.
Foods rich in vitamin K, such as leafy green vegetables, may interfere with these drugs. Speak with your doctor about these foods. It is likely you can eat them, but you will need to avoid sudden changes in the amount you eat each day.
