What is pradaxa 150 mg used for?

Have you ever wondered what those little bottles of medication on your friend’s bathroom counter are? You know the ones, the tiny pill bottles with names you can’t pronounce, and labels that look like they were printed in Sanskrit. Well, today we’re going to decipher one of them: Pradaxa 150 mg. Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with magic tricks or circus acts.

The Basics

First things first, let’s get some vocab out of the way so we all understand what we’re talking about.

Thrombus

A fancy word for a blood clot – something that forms inside a blood vessel when platelets clump together.

Anticoagulant

This is a type of drug that prevents thrombi (plural) from forming by slowing down or stopping coagulation (blood clotting).

Now onto the big question:

What is Pradaxa?

Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) is an anticoagulant which helps to prevent blood clots from forming in your body. This medication was approved by FDA in October 2010 as a twice daily dose (75mg-450mg/day).

As opposed to warfarin anticoagulants which commonly require monthly check ups but cost less compared to dabigatran.

Who uses Pradaxa and Why?

Pradaxa (Dabigatran etexilate) prevent thrombi formation on patients possessing conditions such as atrial fibrillation starting at age greater than equal to 75 years old; treatment and prevention venous tromboembolism(VTE), deep vein trombosis(DVT)and pulmonary embolisms(PE); after orthopedic surgery hip replacement(reduce risk VTE occurrence), knee replacement(thromboembolic prophylaxis).

For those without VTE or mechanical heart valves, dosing is easy – 150mg twice a day. But if you’re over 80 years old or have renal impairment, your dosage may differ. Dabigatran etexilate should only be taken under the guidance of a licensed healthcare professional.

How Does It Work?

Pradaxa works by blocking thrombin formation( an enzyme in blood clotting cascade) to prevent coagulation process, resulting in lowered risk for abnormal thrombi clumps and lessening the need for standard monitoring methods which Warfarin anticoagulants require separately.

To put it simply, Pradaxa stops your blood from being too sticky and gluing itself inside veins/arteries so that it can flow freely throughout the body lowering chances of unwanted clot production.

The Pros and Cons

As with any drug treatment plan there are both pros & cons that must be weighed up before settling on Pradaxa as prevention method. Some people might tolerate this medication better than others depending on their genetics among many other factors:

PROS

  • Easy to use (twice daily dose)
  • Selectively inhibits thrombin activity
  • No dietary restrictions compared to warfarin drugs.
  • Readily available unlike RC Prodacor(Ancrod)

CONS

  • Higher expense compared with Warfarin anticoagulants
  • Bleeding events (requiring transfusional interventions) statistically presented higher instances according BMJ
    -Contraindicated when coupled with certain prescription meds(Dofetilide; P-glycoprotein inhibitors).

Possible Side Effects

Like any other medication dabigatran etexilate has possible side effects due to its reaction within differing individuals;

Common side effects may include:

  1. Nausea/vomiting
  2. Dyspepsia
  3. Gastrointestinal symptoms

Take note: unregulated medication consumption could lead to major bleeding events (requiring hospitalization and transfusional intervention) with the potential to be life-threatening.

To avoid these side effects, it is important that patients take an appropriate dosage of Pradaxa – never more than prescribed by their healthcare provider.

Takeaway

Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) is an anticoagulant used for treatment/prevention of possible thrombi formation for higher risk medical conditions like atrial fibrillation, knee/hip replacement surgery or deep vein trombosis additionally offers a lack of dietary restrictions compared to warfarin drugs but may cost slightly more & has potential side effects in select individuals requiring diligent care when taken.

So there you have it folks! A crash course on dabigatran etexilate(Pradaxa), its uses and some other stuff thrown in just for good measure. Just remember, if you think you might need this medication, speak with your doctor – they’re the best ones to give advice concerning your health needs.

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