Anticoagulation
Anticoagulation is used to treat blood clots that form when parts of your blood begin to thicken due to an injury or other medical condition. Blood clots can travel throughout your body and cause harm, so managing this condition is very important.
Your risk of developing blood clots may be increased by conditions like deep vein thrombosis, a family history of blood clots, heart attack, obesity, stroke, pregnancy and more.
If your care plan requires anticoagulation treatment, our team of experts can help you to stay health by assisting with medication management and monitoring.
Measuring How Long Your Blood Takes to Clot
At each appointment, a specially trained clinician will monitor your international normalized ratio (INR), which is a blood test that measures how long it takes your blood to clot. It also indicates whether your medication to prevent blood clots is working. A machine will show your results within two minutes using one drop of blood. The clinician will look for any signs or symptoms of bleeding or thromboembolism, which is a blocked blood vessel.
During your appointment you will learn about:
- Why anticoagulation therapy is important to your health
- Laboratory monitoring
- Side effects to medications
- Drug and diet interactions
- When to seek medical attention
Coordinating Care With Your Doctor or Home Health Nurse
At the end of each visit, a report will be sent to your doctor. If the results of the INR are very high or low, the clinician will contact your doctor before you leave. If the dose of medication needs to be adjusted, you will be counseled before leaving.
If you are receiving care at home, we coordinate your blood coagulation results with your home health nurse.
Learning More About Anticoagulation Therapy
If you are taking Coumadin®, also known as Warfarin, check out these resources that will explain the benefits, safety precautions and importance of this medication:
