Blood thinners and surgery

[mjesaitis]

Sarah (or anyone else who knows this),

In previous posts, you mention a medication that can be used in place of Coumadin/Warfarin when a surgery is performed. Unfortunately, I'm having no luck "searching" for your reply. So could you please tell me the name again because my mom's having a procedure in two weeks. BTW mom doesn't have HCM, but she does have an enlarged heart with chronic A-Fib.

Thanks a bunch. Matt[/u]

[Sarah]

Dear Matt,

I hope your mom does well. Heparin is the short term blood thinner they use most often. She may need to have as injections.

I found this: Several special circumstances require attention:

* Warfarin loading (doses > 5 mg) should not be initiated in the absence of anticoagulation with heparins or alternative agents. This is because warfarin suppreses protein C and S immediately, prior to inhibition of Factor II. This can cause a paradoxically hypercoagulable state, producing diffuse superficial skin necrosis as a manifestation of DIC. To prevent this, it is highly recommended that there be a continuation of heparins for the first 48 hours of therapeutic INR. This is especially important in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, who already have a form of DIC. These patients must receive alternative anticoagulants (e.g., leparudin) for the same period of overlap.

at http://neuro-oas.mgh.harvard.edu/stopstroke/stroke_meds.htm that sounds very important, but even I don't know exactly what all of it means.

Keep us posted!

S