Should I try a new blood thinner?
Ask the doctor
Since 1954, warfarin has been available to reduce the risk of blood clots. It works: it reduces the risk of strokes by about 60%. But warfarin is far from a perfect medicine. It increases the risk of major bleeding. It requires frequent blood tests and adjustments of the dose to make sure the blood is "thinned" just enough to prevent unwanted clots, but not so much that it can't clot when you need it to. Warfarin also interacts with many other drugs and with foods. These interactions can increase the risk of either clots or major bleeding. There are antidotes when bleeding results from too much warfarin. Some reverse bleeding quickly; others, such as vitamin K, take longer to act.
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