Nuvaring Blood Clots

by Steve Fields on August 25th, 2010

Nuvaring blood clots are responsible for causing a host of serious medical issues for women who are otherwise healthy. The birth control ring introduces estrogen and a controversial progestin called desogestrel into a woman’s bloodstream. These hormones are known to increase the risk of abnormal clotting. Clots (or, thrombi) typically form in the deep veins of the legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This exposes women to a risk of pulmonary embolism, stroke, and heart attack.

Because the dangers associated with Nuvaring blood clots are significant, it is important to treat them as soon as their presence is detected. Treatment usually begins with anticoagulant medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin. On many occasions, such as with stroke or atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia), antiplatelet drugs are given.

Warfarin And Heparin For Blood Clot Treatment

Anticoagulation drugs prevent clot formation by inhibiting the synthesis of fibrin. Two of the most commonly-prescribed anticoagulants, warfarin and heparin, accomplish this in different ways.

Warfarin interferes with the production of vitamin K. This vitamin is needed in your bloodstream for the formation of thrombi. By reducing its production, warfarin slows the rate of clotting throughout your venous and arterial structures. It is important to monitor your diet while taking this drug since foods rich in vitamin K (e.g. spinach, broccoli, blueberries, etc.) can prevent it from working.

Heparin inhibits thrombin (a coagulation protein), and prevents it from acting upon the protein fibrinogen. Normally, thrombin turns fibrinogen into fibrin, the sticky, fibrous material that forms a protective net over a platelet plug. By inhibiting thrombin’s interaction with fibrinogen, heparin reduces the production of fibrin, and thus slows clot formation.

Warfarin is taken in pill form, and requires a few days to begin having an effect. Heparin is delivered by injection or intravenously, and takes effect immediately. For this reason, both anticoagulants are often given at the same time, but heparin is stopped once warfarin begins to show results.

Potential Side Effects Of Blood Thinners

The most common side effect of both warfarin and heparin is bleeding. Thus, if your medical history shows a bleeding disorder, or you have recently undergone major surgery, your doctor may be reluctant to prescribe anticoagulants.

Heparin poses additional risks, including a reduction in the level of platelets in your blood (a condition known as thrombocytopenia). This is one of several possible catalysts for bleeding. Heparin can also cause hives, hypokalemia (i.e. a low level of potassium), and in cases of prolonged use, osteoporosis. These potential complications are weighed against the benefits of anticoagulant administration, and the consequences of withholding treatment.

How Antiplatelet Medications Work

Platelets are manufactured in bone marrow. They circulate throughout your bloodstream, and congregate in areas clots are needed. Your body’s clotting system triggers a chemical reaction that causes the surface of platelets to become sticky. They begin to aggregate and clump together, forming a plug along the wall of the blood vessel.

Antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), and tirofiban (Aggrastat), inhibit the chemical reaction that causes platelets to become sticky. By doing so, they slow the rate of clot formation. These medications are usually reserved for thrombi that are present within the arteries since anticoagulants are less effective.

Like warfarin and heparin, antiplatelet drugs can cause bleeding throughout the body. Other side effects include diarrhea, stomach irritations, and an irregular heart rhythm. In some patients, these medications may lead to organ failure and decreasing blood pressure, though such outcomes are rare.

Nuvaring side effects involving a blood clot can trigger several medical emergencies, some of which may become life-threatening in the absence of immediate treatment. If you or someone you know has suffered from abnormal clotting, DVT, pulmonary embolism, or other Nuvaring problems, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Nuvaring lawsuit 2010 lawyer to discuss your options.