A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

Author: Stephan Moll

  • Lixiana (Edoxaban): New Oral Blood Thinner

    Lixiana® (Edoxaban), the 4th of the big new oral blood thinners in development (the other big 3 being Dabigatran = Pradaxa, Rivaroxaban = Xarelto, and Apixaban = Eliquis), is now commercially available in Japan (July 19th, 2011 press release here). It is available as once daily dosing for prevention of blood clots in the legs…

  • Injection of Blood Thinners under the Skin: Making it Easier – Insuflon Ports

    Having to take shots of a blood thinner injected under the skin (subcutaneously = s.c.) once or twice daily for prolonged periods of time can be bothersome and uncomfortable. Use of a once weekly exchanged s.c. port, called Insuflon, can make it easier for a number of patients.

  • Postpartum – Safe Birth Control Choices

    The CDC today published recommendations on use of birth control methods for non-breast feeding women after child birth (full text is here).  The key recommendations are as follows:

  • Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) – FDA Approved

    On July 1st, the FDA approved the oral blood thinner Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients undergoing  knee or hip replacement surgery.

  • Chronic Lung Damage after PE – Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH)

    Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism, PE) often completely dissolve within a few weeks or months and a patient’s symptoms of shortness and breath and chest pain disappear.  Many people return to their normal self and have no physical limitations thereafter. Other people have some residual symptoms of shortness of breath or chest discomfort,…

  • Eliquis (Apixaban) – Good News

    Eliquis (Apixaban) is one of the 4 promising new oral “blood thinners” that (a) do not require monitoring of its “blood thinning” (anticoagulant) effect, i.e. do not require INR monitoring, and (b) do not interfere with vitamin K in the diet, i.e. patients can eat what they want.

  • Starting Pradaxa? – Checklist

    What topics do you need to discuss with your physican or anticoagulation clinic pharmacist or nurse when you are considering starting Pradaxa (Dabigatran)? A structured, bulleted checklist may be helpful for the discussion, to make sure that all relevant points are addressed. A suggested list is here.

  • Protein C Deficiency

    What is Protein C? Protein C is a protein in our blood stream, which prevents blood from clotting too much.  It’s a sort of police protein that keeps our clotting in check.  If protein C levels are low, a person will have a tendency to clot more easily.  Elevated levels of protein C, on the…