Health Matters: Your Guide to a Healthy Life

  ABCs Of Anticoagulants - By Abdul Rauf ANTICOAGULATION AND PHARMACIST'S ROLE To prevent and treat blood clots in the body is anticoagulation.  Unique knowledge of pharmacist in pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions assists patients in safe anticoagulation therapy.  It is important for patients to have proper and complete education from pharmacist for safe and effective use of anticoagulants.  Pharmacist must ensure to give adequate education regarding anticoagulants to the patients.  The education or counselling to the patient must includes drug indications, monitoring parameters, drug-drug interactions and drug-food interactions, and watch for side effects for anticoagulants.  ANTICOAGULANT WARFARIN    Anticoagulant interferes with the vitamin K dependent clotting factors by intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.   The extrinsic pathways activated via tissue factor from endothelial cells after external injury. Cofactor tissue factor with factor VII helps in activation o