information on antiplatelet blood thining drugs?

Answer 1

Aspirin works very well as an anti-platelet drug. It has been used for years and is relatively inexpensive. There are some newer treatments now like Plavix. These drugs are often referred to as "blood thinners" but that is not exactly how these products work. Anti-platelet drugs prevent the platelet from doing its job which is platelet aggregation. A healthy platelet is "sticky" and will aggregate or clump at the site of injury or plaque build up inside an artery or vein. That aggregate can reduce blood flow in the vessel or even break loose and become a clot and travel to the heart or lungs. Once affected by anti-platelet drugs the platelet remains ineffective for it's relatively short life - approx 7-12 days or so. When you stop taking these drugs and it is no longer in your system, then new platelets being created in the bone marrow will not be affected. So usually it is important to follow a doctors suggestion about using these drugs prior to surgery or other procedures that may lead to bleeding. Platelets are important to control bleeding, however, they are not the only thing that controls bleeding - you also have coagulation factors that help too.

Answer 2

Anticoagulants
Clots consist of small blood cells clumped together - platelets - and a protein called fibrin.
Anticoagulants prevent fibrin forming, but may cause or aggravate bleeding. Regular blood tests are necessary to ensure clotting is within safe levels.
They are particularly useful for treating clots of the veins of the leg (deep vein thrombosis) and in preventing these clots travelling to the lung, causing pulmonary embolism. They do not dissolve existing blood clots.
They are often prescribed to prevent repeat heart attacks or strokes.
Heparin is usually given intravenously to urgently prevent further clotting.
Warfarin and other oral anticoagulants are given to prevent clotting over a long period. It is usually used for patients with artificial heart valves or heart valve disease, but is also given to people with irregular heart rhythm.
Aspirin (and other anti-platelet drugs)
Traditionally used as a painkiller, aspirin is also effective in preventing clotting of the blood, by reducing the "stickiness" of the platelets.
A smaller dose is needed than is required to relieve a headache.
It reduces the risk of dying after a heart attack or suffering a further heart attack or stroke. It is also useful for patients with angina and to prevent blood clotting in the vein grafts used in coronary artery bypass surgery.
But stroke patients should be aware that if their event was caused by a haemorrhage rather than a blood clot, aspirin could do more harm than good.
Other anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel and ticlopidine have recently been developed, which can be used around the time of angioplasty to reduce the risk of blood clotting.
Aspirin can cause indigestion, nausea, vomiting and constipation and so it is not recommended as a way of preventing heart attacks or strokes in healthy people.

Answer 3

I don't have any info on drugs, but i do have an old family receipe. Comimg from generations of blood clotting, strokes, etc, my Grandmother began a new practice for her children, and that was 6 oz of vinigar, or what my mother prefered, as well as her children, and mine as well, pickle juice a week. It thins the blood, and since my Grandmother began the tradition, only 1 stroke has occured in our family!

Answer 4

Are you referring to "Plavix" (clopidigrel)-prevents platelet aggregation. Reference material available on the webMD site.

Answer 5

http://medlineplus.gov/

http://www.fda.gov/cder/

http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/