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Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry1
Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry1
Important alert- teach patients to read labels of all over the counter
and prescription drugs to determine whether they contain aspirin
Oral Anticoagulants
Cattle that were fed on spoiled sweet clover hay, developed a hemorrhagic disease in
North America in 1924. This turned out to be due to bishydroxycoumarin, an anticoagulant
in the spoiled sweet clover. Many related compounds were then developed and are also
being used as rat poison.
- Mechanism of action: Warfarin and its congeners act as anticoagulants only in vivo
because they act by interfering with the synthesis of vitamin K dependent clotting factors
in the liver. They block the y carboxylation of glutamate residues in prothrombin, factors
VII, IX and X. y carboxylation is necessary for these factors to participate in coagulation.
The onset of action is slow; anticoagulant effect develops over 1-3 days because oral =
anticoagulants do not destroy the already circulating clotting factors. Prothrombin time
(PT) is measured to monitor the treatment. It takes 5-7 days for PT to return to normal
after stopping oral anticoagulants.
Pharmacokinetics: Warfarin is completely absorbed orally and is 99% bound to plasma
proteins.
Adverse effects
• Hemorrhage is the main side effect. Bleeding in the intestines or brain can be
troublesome. Minor episodes of epistaxis and bleeding gums are common
• Treatment depends on the severity: Stop the anticoagulant Fresh blood
transfusion is given
• supply clotting factors
Antidote: The specific antidote is vitamin K, oxide. It allows the synthesis of
clotting factors. However, even on IV administration, the response to vitamin K,
oxide needs several hours. Hence in emergency, fresh whole blood is necessary
to counter the effects of oral anticoagulants.
• Other adverse effects include allergic reactions, gastrointestinal disturbances
and teratogenicity.
Drug Interactions
• Most dental procedures including minor ones like scaling and tooth
extraction involve some bleeding stops by itself. However, even
minor dental procedures may result in continuous bleeding from the
site in the following patients:
• Patients receiving drugs that inhibitcoagulation
• Thrombocytopenic purpura
• Vitamin C deficiency
• Hemophiliacs
• Long-term glucocorticoid therapy. For management of bleeding.
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