Do I Really Need to Take a Blood Thinner?

If your doctor prescribed a blood thinner and you’re reading up on the potential side effects, you may be asking yourself – do I really need this?

Edward Carreras, MD, an interventional cardiologist with the Heart & Vascular Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, discusses the benefits and risks of using these drugs.

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Why do I need a blood thinner?

“Doctors commonly prescribe blood thinners for a variety of heart conditions, both to treat and prevent different types of heart disease,” says Dr. Carreras. “Blood thinners can be scary but are also very effective at what they do.”

Blood thinners, or anticoagulants, can lower the chance that a blood clot forms. They are prescribed to individuals who are at higher risk for heart attack and stroke due to an irregular heart rhythm, heart disease or prior heart attack or stroke.

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