The perils of blood thinners: Can the risk be lowered?
Millions of Americans rely on anticoagulants – so-called "blood thinners" that prevent deadly clots from forming in their veins. However, these life-saving medications come with a daunting price tag: an increased risk of serious and sometimes fatal bleeding events.
Larry Bordeaux, 65, credits his blood thinner for saving his life after developing deadly clots following surgery in 2010. Yet, he knows the risks all too well – from gastrointestinal bleeding to uncontrolled nosebleeds. In fact, even a simple fall can be catastrophic if the medication is not taken correctly.
Experts warn that many patients and their families are not adequately informed about the dangers associated with blood thinners. This lack of awareness often leads to preventable harms, with adverse events occurring every day.
The newer generation of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) was introduced in 2010, promising to be safer and more consistent than warfarin. However, over a decade later, nearly 300,000 patients taking these medications still end up in emergency rooms each year due to bleeding events.
One major culprit is aspirin, often prescribed alongside blood thinners without proper education for patients. This combination can increase the risk of serious bleeding complications. Furthermore, dosing errors remain a significant issue, particularly when vascular medicine doctors are involved in prescribing and monitoring these medications.
To mitigate this risk, some hospitals have turned to predictive models that help doctors weigh patients' risk of bleeding against their stroke risk. Emerging AI tools may soon aid in identifying the correct dose for each patient, as well as prioritizing those who require specialist care.
While new treatments on the horizon, such as ablation procedures and Factor XIa inhibitors, hold promise, experts emphasize the need to address patient harm linked to blood thinners more effectively. The stakes are high: hundreds of thousands of people and their families suffer from preventable bleeding events every year.
As Dr. Leslie Lake of the National Blood Clot Alliance notes, "Bleeding events aren't rare edge cases; they happen every day." It is time for healthcare providers to reevaluate their approach to blood thinners and prioritize better patient education, more precise dosing, and innovative prevention strategies. Only then can we reduce the risk associated with these life-saving medications and save countless lives in the process.
Millions of Americans rely on anticoagulants – so-called "blood thinners" that prevent deadly clots from forming in their veins. However, these life-saving medications come with a daunting price tag: an increased risk of serious and sometimes fatal bleeding events.
Larry Bordeaux, 65, credits his blood thinner for saving his life after developing deadly clots following surgery in 2010. Yet, he knows the risks all too well – from gastrointestinal bleeding to uncontrolled nosebleeds. In fact, even a simple fall can be catastrophic if the medication is not taken correctly.
Experts warn that many patients and their families are not adequately informed about the dangers associated with blood thinners. This lack of awareness often leads to preventable harms, with adverse events occurring every day.
The newer generation of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) was introduced in 2010, promising to be safer and more consistent than warfarin. However, over a decade later, nearly 300,000 patients taking these medications still end up in emergency rooms each year due to bleeding events.
One major culprit is aspirin, often prescribed alongside blood thinners without proper education for patients. This combination can increase the risk of serious bleeding complications. Furthermore, dosing errors remain a significant issue, particularly when vascular medicine doctors are involved in prescribing and monitoring these medications.
To mitigate this risk, some hospitals have turned to predictive models that help doctors weigh patients' risk of bleeding against their stroke risk. Emerging AI tools may soon aid in identifying the correct dose for each patient, as well as prioritizing those who require specialist care.
While new treatments on the horizon, such as ablation procedures and Factor XIa inhibitors, hold promise, experts emphasize the need to address patient harm linked to blood thinners more effectively. The stakes are high: hundreds of thousands of people and their families suffer from preventable bleeding events every year.
As Dr. Leslie Lake of the National Blood Clot Alliance notes, "Bleeding events aren't rare edge cases; they happen every day." It is time for healthcare providers to reevaluate their approach to blood thinners and prioritize better patient education, more precise dosing, and innovative prevention strategies. Only then can we reduce the risk associated with these life-saving medications and save countless lives in the process.
idk why medics cant get it rite 2 b honest w/ patients about the risks of blood thinners lol. its like they wanna save ur life but end up causin more harm cuz u didnt no the dos & donts 
. aspirin is a big probs too, esp if ur takin it w/ blood thinnerz. 300k ppl in ER every yr?! that's wild n crazy 
. AI tools cud b the key 2 reducin the risk, but we need docs 2 educate patients properly 1st 
. cant save lives w/out better ed & dosing skills 
! I know someone who's taking them for a heart condition and they always freak out about running into things or spilling stuff on themselves . Like, how do you even get it right? 
Aspirin is also no joke - my aunt took that with her blood thinner and ended up in ER a few times 
. We need better patient education ASAP! Hospitals should be using those predictive models more often, like AI-powered dose calculation tools 
. I'm all for new treatments like ablation procedures and Factor XIa inhibitors, but it's time to prioritize prevention over just treating the symptoms 
.
. I know they're a lifesaver for some people, but those risks are legit 
. It's crazy that 300k+ patients end up in ERs every year because of bleeding events... it's just not worth it 
. We need better education on how to use these meds safely and more precise dosing 
. And what's with the combo of aspirin and blood thinners? That's a recipe for disaster 
. I'm all for new treatments, but we gotta prioritize patient safety first 
. We can't just sit back and let preventable harm happen every day... it's time for change 
!
300k ppl get sent to ER every yr due 2 bleeding events from blood thinners 
and aspirin is like the worst 
people think it's safe 2 take with blood thinners but nope it increases risk of serious bleeding by 50% 
and dosing errors are still super common 
hospitals r starting 2 use AI tools 2 help doctors prescribe correct dose tho 
that's a good step but we need better patient ed 
I know they've introduced new models and AI tools to help doctors out, but come on, 300,000 ER visits every year is just too much 
. We need to step up our game and educate those patients about the risks and dosing properly 
. Can't we find a way to make these meds safer? 
. I hope those new treatments like ablation procedures and AI tools come through soon - we really do need to reduce the risk associated with blood thinners 
.
And it's not just about dosage errors... aspirin is like, the ultimate blood-thinner combo killer 
. We need to get better at educating patients and doctors on how to use these meds safely. AI tools are gonna be super helpful in that dept 
. Let's work together to make sure we're saving lives, not taking them 
We need to focus on better patient education and making sure docs are taking the time to understand each patient's unique situation before handing out meds. The stats on bleeding events being 'preventable' are pretty alarming, tbh 
, without even reading the warning labels! My cousin's sister-in-law was on warfarin for years and had like 5 major bleeds already before she figured out to ask her doc about the risk. And then there are those fancy AI tools... good luck trying to explain them to a grandma who just wants her meds to work 
I feel so bad for people like Larry Bordeaux who rely on blood thinners to survive, only to deal with terrifying side effects like uncontrolled bleeding events 
. It's just not right that patients and families are often left in the dark about the risks associated with these medications 
. It's just basic common sense, right? 
And dosing errors are still a huge issue, which is so preventable with better monitoring and education.
. The stats on bleeding events are just heartbreaking - 300,000 patients ending up in emergency rooms every year is crazy 
. Let's get our healthcare system together and prioritize better patient education and prevention strategies ASAP 
. AI tools cld help but we need more research & funding 4 it 2 happen 
, we need better patient ed & precise dosing ASAP!!! 
. I mean, a simple fall can be super bad if you're not careful with your medication. And aspirin on top of that? It's just a recipe for disaster 
.