Notes on Stopping Anticoagulation

Notes on Stopping Anticoagulation

To our patient from the UWHC Stroke Team Doctors;

 

You are on medicine called _________________that prevents stroke and heart attack.  There may be a time when you need to stop taking the drug for a short period if you will be having work done which might lead to bleeding.  Examples of this might include; a dental visit, a biopsy, minor, or major surgery.  If you suspect that the work you are to have done may involve some bleeding, you should discuss this with your doctor or dentist.  Ask the doctor or dentist you are working with how long you should stop your medicine.  You can stop Coumadin© for up to 48 hours, and you can stop other drugs such as aspirin, Plavix® and Aggrenox® for up to 4 days without a great risk for stroke and heart attack.  If your clinic or dentist office wants you to stop the drug you are taking for a longer time, please give them this note, or ask the office to call us at the numbers listed below.  Do not be concerned if your doctor and the stroke team doctors decide that you will stop longer than the guidelines discussed here.  They will factor in all the risks involved and instruct you in a plan that gives you the smallest amount of risk.

 

 

To our patient's doctor or dentist;
Your patient is followed by the University Hospital Stroke Team Physicians for stroke prevention.  Our guidelines are that if Coumadin® is stopped for more than 48 hours, or if aspirin, Plavix® or Aggrenox® are stopped for more than 4 days, your patient will be asked to give you this note.

 

Within the time frames mentioned above, the risk of stroke has not been known to increase, however, if a patient stops longer, there is a small increase in the risk of stroke that grows day by day off of the medication.  In some cases however, it is appropriate to balance the small risk against the risk of bleeding incited by some other required procedure.  In these cases, the University Hospital Stroke Team Physicians request that you contact the stroke clinic at(608) 265-8899 to discuss the optimal balance for your patient.  Please leave your name and phone number, along with the name of your patient.  If you need to speak immediately to someone, the on-call stroke team can be reached through the Access Center operator by calling 1-800-472-0111 and asking for the stroke team attending physician on call.  Thank you in advance for coordinating with us in this way, thus minimizing the risk of complications for our shared patient.

The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Last Updated: 11/05/2008

Copyright © 02/27/2008 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. UWH #6115

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