Many take anticoagulants and OTC supplements, which poses risk

FINDINGSNearly 98% percent of people prescribed direct-acting oral anticoagulants such as apixaban also used  over-the-counter products. Of those, 33% took at least one such product that, in combination with the anticoagulants, could cause dangerous internal bleeding. People taking these medications largely lacked knowledge of some potentially serious interactions.BACKGROUNDDirect-acting oral anticoagulants are the drug of choice for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, which occurs most frequently in older patients. Apixaban is one of the most frequently prescribed. However, most people prescribed apixaban or other direct-acting oral anticoagulants are not followed in specialized anticoagulation clinics or monthly by health care professionals. As a result, these people may not be aware of potential drug interactions.METHODFrom April to October 2018, the researchers surveyed 791 English- and Spanish-speaking patients  who had been prescribed apixaban. Subjects were asked about their knowledge of potential interactions between the drug and over-the-counter supplements. They were asked about how often they took aspirin, ibuprofen/naproxen, and acetaminophen, and 13 common dietary supplements, including Chinese he rbs, various fish oils, ginger and herbal teas, while also taking apixaban.Limitations to the study included a low response rate (33%), self-reported data, which can be unreliable due to faulty memories, and the researchers ’ focus on a limited ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news