Anticoagulants and Antiplatelets are medications for stroke. A stroke is a disruption in brain function caused by a blood clot or lack of blood flow to the brain. A blood clot can cause stroke, heart attack, and other serious medical problems.
Anticoagulants and antiplatelets are medicines that reduce blood clotting in an artery, vein, or heart. In general, anticoagulants and antiplatelets prevent blood clots, but their mechanisms are different. It is important to follow doctors’ advice while using the medications.
Early and Warning Signs of Stroke
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg
- Numbness in one side of the body
- Confusion or trouble speaking
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Trouble in walking, loss of balance, and dizziness
- Lack of coordination
How Do Anticoagulants Work for Stroke?
Anticoagulants prevent your blood from clotting easily. They do this by interfering with the blood clotting process. Anticoagulants are used for preventing ischemic stroke and ministroke. It is used to prevent blood clots from forming or to prevent existing clots from getting larger. Heart attack or stroke survivors, or people with artificial valves or irregular heartbeats, often require anticoagulants.
How Do Antiplatelets Work for Stroke?
Antiplatelets can be used to help prevent blood clots. By interfering with the ability of platelets to stick together in your blood, they help prevent blood clot formation. These are sometimes prescribed to people who have had ischemic strokes or heart attacks. For prevention of secondary strokes or heart attacks, your doctor may prescribe them regularly for an extended period.
Available Anticoagulants Medications
- Clopidogrel. It is used to prevent clotting in blood vessels. It lowers the risk of a patient with a disease such as heart attack and stroke. It works by preventing the blood from sticking to the walls of arteries and preventing blood from forming a thrombus.
- Loparin. It is an anticoagulant or a blood thinner that is used to prevent blood from clotting in patients who have orthopedic surgery for hip or knee bone replacement.
Tips to Manage Stroke While on Medications
- To recover, you must maintain your self-esteem, your connections to others, and your interest in the world.
- Join a support group. You can share experiences, exchange information, and make new friends by meeting with others who are dealing with stroke.
- Relax and take your time. You may enjoy talking more when you are not rushed and when you are in a relaxing situation.
- Do not overdo physical activity. Blood and oxygen flow throughout the brain are increased by exercise