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Stephan Moll, MD writes (last updated: Sept 9th, 2020)… Background: Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk for thrombosis – DVT, PE, and may be pulmonary micro-vascular thrombosis that possibly contributes to respiratory failure; arterial events appear to occur less commonly. Scientific/clinical data on prevalence of thrombosis, best prevention, and optimal therapy are limited.
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If you are considering to start therapy with the new oral “blood thinner” Pradaxa®, there are a few safety nets that your local hospital and physician may want to establish to make therapy as safe as possible for you. Issues to be addressed are (a) dosing, (b) management of major bleeding, (c) interruption of therapy
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The new oral anticoagulant Pradaxa® (Dabigatran) is increasingly being used as an alternative to warfarin. A number of practical management questions are now encountered by the physician, pharmacist, or other health care professional taking care of the patient on Pradaxa®, such as (a) dosing in renal impairment, (b) conversion of a patient on warfarin
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General comments CT or MRI scans will occasionally detect an incidental iliofemoral DVT, PE or intra-abdominal thrombosis (IVC, portal, splenic, mesenteric or renal vein). This is particularly common in cancer patients undergoing staging CT scans. When such an incidental, asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) is discovered, the question arises whether the patient should be treated with
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General comments CT scans and MRI scans are often done in medicine, for a variety of reasons. Every so often such a scan will detect a blood clot in a patient who has no symptoms from the clot. This is referred to as an “incidental VTE” (VTE = venous thromboembolism, i.e. clot in a vein)
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When to stop the drug – General comments The patient on Pradaxa® (Dabigatran) may need interruption of therapy for dental work, a medical procedure such as colonoscopy, or minor or major surgical procedure. As to when exactly to take the last dose of Pradaxa® before the procedure depends on (a) what type of procedure is
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When to stop the drug – General comments If you are on Pradaxa® (Dabigatran) you may need interruption of therapy for dental work, a medical procedure such as colonoscopy, or minor or major surgical procedure. As to when exactly to take the last dose of Pradaxa® before the procedure depends on (a) how big a
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Explanation for Patients The complex topic of “Length of Anticoagulant Treatment” for patients with VTE is being addressed in a blog entry written for patients, found on the Clot Connect patient education blog (here). For the Health Care Professional Well respected treatment guidelines exist [ref 1,2].
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What Kind of Clot did You Have? If you have had a blood clot in your legs or your lung (pulmonary embolism=PE), you will wonder how long you should stay on a “blood thinner”. The decision depends on a number of factors which will be discussed below.
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How common is it? Warfarin-induced skin necrosis is a rare complication of warfarin (coumadin®, Jantoven®) therapy. It occurs in approximately 1 of 10,000 patients treated with warfarin. What is it? Patients with warfarin-induced skin necrosis develop very painful skin areas, most commonly in the breasts,
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How common is it? Warfarin-induced skin necrosis is a rare complication of warfarin (coumadin®, Jantoven®) therapy. It occurs in approximately 1 of 10,000 patients treated with warfarin. What is it? “Necrosis” means “dead tissue”. Patients with warfarin-induced skin necrosis develop very painful skin areas, most commonly in the breasts, next commonly in buttocks, thighs and
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
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