It is available in strengths of 75mg, mg and mg per capsule. Pradaxa is a 'blood thinner'. It helps to prevent the formation of blood clots in the veins after surgery. It is also used to prevent strokes and the formation of blood clots in patients who have an abnormal heart beat atrial fibrillation. It is very important that patients should not stop taking any blood thinning medicine, unless on the advice of their doctor , due to the risk of experiencing a blood clot or stroke.
If any patients have concerns about their medicines they should discuss these with their doctor. Pradaxa stops a substance called thrombin from forming blood clots. Blood clots can cause deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and strokes.
Pradaxa capsules should be swallowed whole with water. Do not break, chew, or empty the pellets from the capsule. The following dosing is recommended:.
If you are taking Pradaxa after surgery to prevent blood clots For patients who have had surgery treatment starts with one mg capsule one to four hours after the operation. Treatment continues with two mg capsules taken once a day for 28 to 35 days after hip replacement and for 10 days after knee replacement.
Treatment is delayed in patients who are still bleeding from the site of surgery. A lower dose is used in patients with moderate kidney problems. If you are taking Pradaxa to prevent strokes due to an abnormal heart beat One mg capsule is taken twice a day long term.
A lower dose one mg twice a day is used in patients over 80 years of age or with moderate kidney problems, or who are at high risk of bleeding. It is important to take Pradaxa regularly to prevent strokes and blood clots. There is no requirement for regular blood tests but patients should still look out for any signs of bleeding such as: exceptional weakness, tiredness, paleness, dizziness, headache, unexplained bruising or unexplained swelling.
If you are taking Pradaxa after surgery to prevent blood clots Your doctor may reduce the dose you take if you:. If you are taking Pradaxa to prevent strokes due to an abnormal heart beat Your doctor may reduce the dose you take if you are:.
If you need to switch from dabigatran to warfarin, you may need to take both medicines together for a few days. While dabigatran has enormous benefits, the downside is that it can make you bleed more than normal. This is because while you're taking dabigatran, your blood will not clot as easily. It's usual to bleed more easily than normal while you're taking dabigatran. If it happens, keep taking dabigatran, but tell your doctor if the bleeding bothers you or does not stop.
While you're taking dabigatran, be careful when you do activities that might cause an injury or a cut or bruising. Like all medicines, dabigatran can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
This can cause a very severe headache, fits seizures , changes to your eyesight, numbness or tingling in your arms or legs, and make you feel very tired, weak or sick. If you suddenly get any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. This is an emergency. They're usually mild and do not last long, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. In rare cases, dabigatran can cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
These are not all the side effects of dabigatran. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Dabigatran is not normally recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Some medicines and supplements can interfere with dabigatran. This can lead to serious side effects. If you're taking dabigatran, tell your doctor before starting to take these medicines:. You can take paracetamol while you're taking dabigatran.
Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen while you're taking dabigatran unless a doctor has said it's OK to. They increase the chance of bleeding. Do not take St John's wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you're taking dabigatran. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Blood clotting thickening is a complicated process involving substances called clotting factors. They work with blood cells called platelets that trigger the clotting process to make sure your blood clots properly.
Dabigatran works by stopping a clotting factor called thrombin from working. There do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking it for many months and years.
If you stop taking dabigatran, the rate at which your blood clots will return to what it was before you started taking it, usually within a day or two of stopping. This means that you may be at increased risk of serious problems like strokes , heart attacks , DVT or pulmonary embolism.
Dabigatran does not seem to be harmful for bones or cause any problems for people with conditions like brittle bones osteoporosis. They include apixaban , edoxaban , rivaroxaban and warfarin. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out why you have been recommended a particular medicine. You can drink alcohol while taking dabigatran, as long as you stick to the national guidelines of no more than 14 units a week for men and women.
A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. Drinking heavily, especially binge drinking lots of alcohol in one go, is dangerous while taking dabigatran. The alcohol can increase dabigatran's effect and make you more likely to bleed.
Because of the risk of bleeding, your dose of dabigatran may need to be lowered or stopped a few days before you have an operation. But tell your dentist if you're taking dabigatran before you have any treatment.
Most people do not need to change their dabigatran dose, but your dentist may contact your doctor for advice before starting the dental treatment.
You should tell the person giving you the vaccine that you take dabigatran and show them your anticoagulant alert card in case there's any bleeding at the injection site. Dabigatran does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking dabigatran will reduce fertility in either men or women. But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant.
You can continue to take part in non-contact sports, such as running, athletics, cycling, tennis and badminton. But be sure to use the right protective clothing or equipment, like wearing a helmet when riding your bike. This is because these types of sports could lead to an injury, which would further increase the risk of bleeding. But if taking dabigatran makes you feel dizzy or lightheaded, do not drive or ride a bike until it goes away.
Having a body piercing or tattoo is not recommended while you're taking dabigatran. If you still want to go ahead, talk to your doctor about your specific risks in case you need antibiotics. And let the tattooist or piercer know beforehand that you're taking a blood-thinning medicine. It's not clear how recreational drugs like cocaine and heroin affect dabigatran.
They could be potentially dangerous. Tell your doctor if you think you may take recreational drugs while you're on dabigatran. You can reduce your risk of having a blood clot by making changes to your lifestyle, such as:. Page last reviewed: 3 April Next review due: 3 April Dabigatran On this page About dabigatran Key facts Who can and cannot take dabigatran How and when to take it Bleeding and what to do about it Other side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About dabigatran Dabigatran is a type of medicine known as an anticoagulant, or blood thinner. It's used to treat people who have had a health problem caused by a blood clot, such as: a stroke a heart attack a blood clot in the leg deep vein thrombosis, or DVT a blood clot in the lungs pulmonary embolism It's also used to prevent blood clots if you're at high risk of having them in the future.
People who are at high risk include those who have: an abnormal heartbeat atrial fibrillation recently had surgery to replace a hip or knee joint Dabigatran is only available on prescription. It comes as capsules. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have back pain, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness especially in your legs and feet , loss of control of the bowels or bladder incontinence.
Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have kidney problems, bleeding problems, stomach ulcers, or have antiphospholipid syndrome APS. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you are a female who is able to become pregnant. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk for severe bleeding from the uterus if you are treated with blood thinner medicines, including PRADAXA.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is important to tell your healthcare provider about all medicines prescription and over-the-counter , vitamins, and supplements you take. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.
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