Around one million people in Germany regularly take blood thinners.
You can read more about the most common side effects and the warning signs for them here.
Anticoagulants like Marcumar are colloquially known as blood thinners. They are among the most frequently taken drugs in Germany: Around one million Germans regularly take anti-coagulant drugs, as the German Heart Foundation informs.
This drug therapy is an important pillar in the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases
.
According to
the portal
Apotheken Umschau
,
doctors recommend
long-term treatment with anticoagulants after repeated thromboses and embolisms.
The main task of anti-coagulant drugs is to
prevent blood clots, which can cause a heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism
.
Some patients should take blood thinners for years, others only for a few months.
How long a therapy lasts is decided by the attending physician.
When , according to the
Umschau pharmacies,
blood thinners are used
permanently:
with permanent atrial fibrillation
after the insertion of mechanical heart valves
after a thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
Survey on medication
Internal bleeding as a common side effect of anticoagulants
Anticoagulant drugs prevent the most common causes of death in Germany: cardiovascular diseases. In 2019, 331,200 people died of cardiovascular disease, according to the Federal Statistical Office. These include heart attacks and strokes. However, blood thinners also have side effects that can sometimes have dangerous consequences.
The most common side effects of anticoagulants are bleeding, especially in the gastrointestinal tract
, reports the portal
Gesundheitsinformation.de of
the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.
Symptoms can vary depending on where internal bleeding occurs in the body
.
According to
Gesundheitsinformation.de
, slight bleeding from the nose or gums as well as bruises on the skin are usually unproblematic.
However, you should see a doctor quickly if:
profuse, persistent bleeding from the nose or gums
large bruises
urine discolored red
Traces of blood in the stool (dark red or black discolored stool)
Traces of blood in vomit
Cerebral haemorrhage occurs very rarely
as a side effect of anticoagulants.
According to
health information
,
you should
call an emergency doctor immediately
if
:
severe, sudden headache
Visual disturbances, dizziness, paralysis or numbness
Impairment of consciousness or decreased ability to react
cramps
More sources: https://www.herzstiftung.de/infos-zu-herz Krankungen/
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