Anticoagulant Therapy to Prevent Embolization

Abstract

Aim: This article aims at providing an overview regarding the anticoagulant therapy to prevent embolisation. Objective: To provide a comprehensive review on anticoagulant therapy and other treatment options to prevent embolisation. Background: An embolism is the lodging of an embolus, which may be a blood clot, fat globule, air bubble or foreign material in the bloodstream, resulting in a blockage of the blood flow to a paricular organ. Based on the organ affected, it is classified as pulmonary embolism, brain embolism, retinal embolism etc. Anticoagulants are a group of drugs that reduces the body's ability to form clots in the blood and thus they play a great role in both the prevention and treatment of established embolism. Therapeutic uses of anticoagulants include atrial fibrillation (AF), artificial heart valves, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), embolic stroke and myocardial infarction with a large mural thrombus etc. Anticoagulant drugs affect the blood's ability to clot and therefore there is also an increased risk of bleeding for people who are taking them. This article aims at providing information regarding anticoagulant therapy to prevent embolisation. Reason: To know about the indications and use and disadvantages of anticoagulant therapy in various systemic diseases to prevent embolisation.