Oral Anticoagulants
Oral Anticoagulants
Talk to your health professional about taking anticoagulant medicine to reduce stroke risk and live well with AF.
Visit this webpage for answers to common questions about taking oral anticoagulants for AF.
The impact of stroke can be serious and sometimes life threatening. If you have atrial fibrillation (AF), your risk of having a stroke can be up to 5 times higher. This because the irregular heartbeat can lead to blood clots that may travel to your brain.
AF affects over 500,000 Australians and plays a role in nearly 1 in 10 deaths. Getting checked and managing AF early can help lower your risk of stroke.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition where your heart beats irregularly.
With a normal heartbeat, blood pumps through all four chambers of the heart smoothly.
With AF, blood doesn’t move through the heart as it’s supposed to, causing an irregular heartbeat. If blood does not flow through the heart properly, it can cause blood to pool in the heart and form a ‘blood clot’. If a clot breaks away from the heart and travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke.
Signs of stroke include:
- F: face drooped
- A: arms can’t be raised
- S: speech slurred or confused
- T: time is critical call 000
If you have AF, you may get:
- palpitations (fast heart beats)
- dizziness, or
- shortness of breath.
To find out if you have AF, a doctor or nurse will check your pulse. If it feels irregular, they may refer you for more tests.
How can you treat atrial fibrillation?
If you have AF, your healthcare professional will work with you to manage your condition. One treatment they might recommend is an anticoagulant medicine.
Anticoagulants are a type of medicine that helps prevent blood clots. They don’t treat the irregular heartbeat directly, but they make it harder for your blood to clot. This helps lower your risk of having a stroke from AF.
Other treatments are needed to help with symptoms caused by AF.
Risks and benefits of taking anticoagulant medicine
Anticoagulants can sometimes cause bruising or bleeding, but they lower your risk of stroke, which can be more serious. The benefit of taking them is greater than the risk of bleeding.
If you notice serious bleeding or bruising while taking anticoagulants, there are other medicines that can help. Talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual signs.
Call 000 or go straight to hospital if you experience signs of serious bleeding, such as:
- Nose bleeds that do not stop
- Coughing or vomiting blood
- Blood in urine or bowel movements
- Bleeding or bruising that gets worse
- Sudden and severe headache
With the right treatment and regular care, including taking anticoagulants safely and as prescribed, most people with AF can continue to live well.
This animation explains what AF means and how anticoagulants can help reduce your risk of stroke.
Why are anticoagulants important for managing Atrial Fibrillation?
People with AF have a high risk of stroke. A stroke can cause serious damage to the brain with long-lasting effects.
Taking anticoagulants can help lower your risk of stroke. Your healthcare professional will talk with you about your options and help you understand how to take your anticoagulant medicine safely. They can also answer any questions you may have.
The Anticoagulants Care Plan is a helpful guide. It has more information and tips on how to talk with your health professional about taking your anticoagulant medicine safely.
Need more information?
To contact the Health Care Consumers Association or to register to receive updates on this project see Contact.
We recommend using Choosing Wisely’s 5 questions to ask your doctor or other health care provider before you get any test, treatment or procedure.
Learn more about questions to ask your doctor and finding good health information online on the Canberra Health Literacy Hub.
Are you a health professional looking for more information about oral anticoagulants? QHUB provides free and high-quality education and resources that support safe and appropriate use of medicines.