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Medicine vocabulary · Prescriptions and Medication

Anticoagulant

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌæntikoʊˈæɡjələnt/nounCommon term

In medicine, anticoagulant means: A medicine that makes the blood take longer to clot, used to prevent or treat clots in conditions such as atrial fibrillation and DVT.

In Turkish: antikoagülan, kan sulandırıcı

How it is used

Examples are warfarin, heparin and the newer DOACs such as apixaban. Patients call them 'blood thinners', although they do not actually thin the blood. Doctors weigh the benefit against the risk of bleeding and always ask about them before procedures.

Example sentences

  1. He's on an anticoagulant for atrial fibrillation, so we need to check before the procedure.

  2. Anticoagulation reduces the risk of stroke but increases the risk of bleeding.

Common collocations

  • start an anticoagulant
  • oral anticoagulant
  • on anticoagulants
  • hold the anticoagulant
  • atrial fibrillationA common heart rhythm problem in which the upper chambers of the heart beat fast and chaotically, giving an irregularly irregular pulse.
  • deep vein thrombosisA blood clot in one of the deep veins, usually in the leg, that can cause pain and swelling and may travel to the lungs.
  • bleedingLoss of blood from a damaged blood vessel, either outside the body from a wound or inside the body, where it may not be seen.
  • pulmonary embolismA blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has travelled from a deep vein in the leg.
  • drug interactionA change in how a medicine works or how strong it is, caused by another medicine, a food or a drink taken at the same time.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Prescriptions and Medication

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.