Anticoagulants help dissolve blood clots. In the event of an overdose, there is a risk of hemorrhage. This risk can manifest itself in very heavy periods in women.
1. What is an anticoagulant?
An anticoagulant is a molecule that prevents blood clotting and therefore thins the blood. Anticoagulant medications can come in injectable form or in oral form. The injectable form makes it possible to treat emergencies, such as the formation of a clot responsible for a pulmonary embolism, phlebitis or a cardiovascular accident. It is also often used after surgery, in a preventive dose. Oral anticoagulant medications can belong to two families: medications called vitamin K antagonists which block the action of vitamin K (which is a vitamin involved in coagulation) and direct anticoagulants. Anticoagulant medications are frequently used medications, since nearly 3 million French people consume them., as highlighted by the French Network of Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers. Anticoagulants are generally prescribed for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis.
2. What are the risks of anticoagulants?
Anticoagulants are medications that help prevent the formation of a blood clot. If the dosage of the medication is not appropriate, complications may occur. In case of underdosage, clots may form. In case of overdose, there is a risk of bleeding. The presence of blood in stools or urine should alert you, as should vomit containing blood. In women, very heavy periods can also be a sign of hemorrhage. Anti-vitamin K type anticoagulants should never be administered to pregnant women, except in exceptional circumstances (wearing heart valves for example), as specified in the press release from the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM).
3. What are the risks of taking an anticoagulant during your period?
Women who are on anticoagulant treatment should be careful during their menstrual periods. If the volume of menstrual blood or the duration of the period increases sharply, it is imperative to consult a doctor quickly, as this may be a sign of hemorrhage related to an overdose of the drug. In view of the potential bleeding risk, it is strictly contraindicated to resort to self-medication by taking an anticoagulant during your period. It is also very important not to take anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin in case of pain at the same time as an anticoagulant, as specified by the University Hospitals of Geneva.
Sources
- I am taking an oral anticoagulant, what are the risks? French network of regional pharmacovigilance centers
- What’s new about Antivitamin K?, ANSM, March 16, 2021
- Your treatment with direct oral anticoagulant, University Hospitals of Geneva