Which Blood Thinner Is Right for You?

Newer anticoagulants may be less trouble to take than warfarin, but they are not always a better choice. Heres what you need to know about these drugs.

Published: December 3, 2017

Anticoagulants-more widely known as blood thinners-are used in patients with cardiovascular disease. Blood thinners dont actually thin the blood; they interfere with the ability of a protein called fibrinogen that causes blood to clot. This makes them useful for preventing blood clots from forming in the arteries or veins, where they could cause a heart attack or stroke or blood clots in the legs or lungs.