Why do people take blood thinners?

If you’re among the many people who take blood thinners, there are a few things you’ll need to understand. At first honey, maybe it seems pretty straightforward? Why wouldn’t anyone want their blood to be nice and thin? But as with most things in life, it’s not quite that simple. Here’s what you need to know about why people take blood thinners.

The Clot Thickens

To start off, let’s talk about clots. Now I’m not talking about your ex-boyfriend being clingy; we ain’t got time for that here! We’re talking blood clots, the sticky masses that form inside of your veins or arteries when things don’t go according to plan.

Our bodies are amazing machines made up of countless parts working together seamlessly (in theory). Your heart pumps out fresh blood day and night like an over-zealous college kid pumping out Jell-O shots at a party. And that lovely red liquid flows through our vessels carrying precious oxygen like Lyft drivers carrying drunk customers home from the club joyously singing along to Ariana Grande songs on loop.

But sometimes your body will spring into defensive mode without proper reason and creates these funky little blobs called clots. Clots can lead to various issues ranging from non-serious implications such as phlebitis (an inflammation caused by unstable clotting reactions) where your vein becomes warm tender & deeply inflamed,but mainly more severe problems – think deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), ischemic stroke…you get my drift.

And this is where taking a medication known as a blood thinner comes into play.

What Are Blood Thinners?

Blood thinner medications do just that: they “thin” your blood so it won’t clot as easily – keeping unwanted blobby formations at bay. They accomplish this by targeting the proteins and enzymes that play key roles in the clotting process which ultimately creates a barrier for any unwanted assemblages.

But why are blood thinners necessary?

Indication: Why Might Someone Need Blood Thinners?

There is no one definitive answer to this but some of the reasons include:

• Atrial fibrillation: A-fib, results from an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia (that’s medical jargon for dance beats). If left untreated, it could prompt the formation of clots inside your heart chambers; having those pesky things break off and travel elsewhere in your body – like blocking flow to essential organs.

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): When you’re traveling long distances via airplane/bus/car/anything really, & even post-surgery sometimes,’ DVT’ can occur when a blood clot forms in a deep vein – predominantly on your legs. It’s uncomfortable AF– accompanied by pain/swelling/heat/disco-feverand requires immediate attention! People with DVT may take blood thinners to stop current existing clots from getting larger or new ones from forming.

• Pulmonary Embolism (PE): This dangerous condition happens when part of a clot dislodges and begins moving towards the lungs’ arteries responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood from our hearts to other parts of our bodies resulting in breathing difficulties/cough/lightheadedness/chest pains etc.

While these might be some common indications there are plenty more such as chronic atrial flutter/sickle cell disease/having an artificial valve installed etc.. Basically anytime your doctor thinks that clots may be likely to form somewhere they shouldn’t, they will prescribe certain types of medication known as ‘blood thinners.’

But How Do Blood Thinners Work?

Blood thinners work using three different mechanisms:

1. Anticoagulation
2. Antiplatelet
3. Thrombolytic

What are these? You may ask, my friend!

Anticoagulation

Anticoagulants “interfere with the machine that makes netting” by regulating certain enzymes in your liver which ultimately stops blood clotting and allows a steady flow of liquid through your system.
Some common anticoagulant medication includes Xarelto(Warfarin), Pradaxa (Dabigatran)– Funny sounding names hey?!

One thing to keep in mind while taking anticoagulant medication is to assess any potential drug interactions—this means checking if you can take medication like ibuprofen or antibiotics when you’re on them.

Antiplatelet agents

These medications prevent cells found within our bodies known as platelets from sticking together or aggregating – this is where I metaphorically envision tiny warriors blockade-ing budding clots at bay! Some examples here include aspirin/ Plavix(Articlopidine)/ Effient etc. Things to note: these types of blood thinners implicitly interfere with platelet activity leaving existing clots unaffected but subsequent ones prevented.

Thrombolytics

These thinners target an important protein known as Plasminogen activator contained within individual blood cells responsible for breaking down & dissolving unwanted clots aiding the body’s natural cleaning process It works best when given nearly immediately after onset of distressing symptoms such as acute myocardial infraction/stroke/pulmonary embolism.

How Do Blood Thinners Affect Bleeding?

Funnily enough, a major problem associated with taking too much medicine used to stave off unwanted clotting is… Unwanted bleeding tendencies! Lifestyles generally get quashed anyway how?

When someone consumes anticoagulants over time, it could result in their ability to bleed becoming far more prominent than that of a person not taking prescribed medicines to thin out their blood.

But What About Other Risk Factors?

As with every drug, there are associated side effects (& sorry darling but the chance of getting a superpower doesn’t apply here) – particularly towards those who have an increased risk of bleeding anyway. For example:

• Older individuals: Due to age-related changes in organs & tissues

–Women: Mostly for menstrual reasons or when they’re expecting a child (Hi it’s me! )

People with chronic liver or kidney disease fall within this category too as well due to inherent structural defects in their organs.

Caution With Combining Medication!

Additionally’ mixing drugs” – could heighten any potential dangerous risks such as irregular bleeding. Some drugs can increase the potency levels present within anticoagulant medications causing unnaturally high proportions/levels which could witness more overt signs of bruising/wounds staying moist longer hence vital to disclose all and any ongoing medication you’re already taking before starting yourself on these types.

To Sum Up!

All things considered, whether we like it or not (spoiler alert: most people really don’t), blood-thinning medication is necessary for some folks. While changing your natural ability toward clotting may seem daunting, accepting how quick these medications have progressed regarding rapid development would inevitably lead to positive health outcomes– clear liquids running joyfully through our veins – lets keep them coming y’all!!

Do you take blood thinners? Have questions about what was discussed? Get in touch!