MH and medications Flashcards
what are anticoagulant and anti-platelet drugs?
- agents that reduce the ability of blood to form clots or coagulate
Name 3 antiplatelet drugs and describe how platelets work
- aspirin
- dipyridamole
-clopidogrel
interfere with platelet aggregation by reversibly or irreversibly inhibiting various steps in platelet activation required for primary haemostasis
name 3 anticoagulant drugs and describe how they work
- warfarin
- acenocoumarol
- phenindione
work by inhibiting the vitamin k dependent modification of prothrombin and other coagulation factors, which is required for their normal function, and this results in impairment to secondary haemostasis
Name 3 NOACs, describing how they work and why they’re preferred to older anticoagulants
- apixaban
- dabigatran
- rivaroxaban
Apixaban and rivaroxaban inhibit factorXa of the coagulation cascade
- dabigatran inhibits factor thrombin directly
they produce a more predictable level of anticoagulation
what dental procedures are high risk of post-operative bleeding
- Xla of 3 teeth or more
-Xla of adjacent teeth causing a large wound
-Complex extractions - flap raising procedures
- gingival recontouring
- biopsies
what should you as a dentist consider to assess a patients bleeding risk
- consideration the likely risk of bleeding associated with the required procedure
- consideration of the patients individual bleeding risk
Discuss in detail how to assess bleeding risk
- assess whether the dental treatment is a low risk or high risk for bleeding complications
- ask pt about current or planned use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs and other prescribed/non prescribed medications when confirming MH
- be aware pt may be taking aspirin or NSAIDs - higher bleeding risk
- ask pt if AC or AP medication is for a limited time or lifelong
- ask about their medical conditions (kidney liver or bone marrow disorders can affect coagulation and platelet function)
- ask about pt’s bleeding history
what should the dental practitioner have available to achieve haemostasis
- absorbent gauze
- haemostatic packing material (oxidized cellulose, collagen sponge)
- suture kit
how do you manage a patient taking an anticoagulant or antiplatelet drug that requires dental treatment that is unlikely to cause bleeding
treat the patient following standard procedures taking care to avoid causing bleeding
A patient is taking an anticoagulant and requires dental treatment that is likely to cause bleeding with a low or high risk of bleeding complications. The patient is on a time limited course of anticoagulant -what should you do
- delay non urgent, invasive dental procedures where possible until the medication has been discontinued
- if medication is being taken in prep for surgery, may be possible to interrupt the drug treatment in liaison with surgical consultant
- pt’s with acute deep vein thromobsis or pulmonary embolism may be taking high dose apixaban or rivaroxaban for the first 1-3 weeks of tx. Delay dental procedures until pt is taking standard dose
A patient is taking an anticoagulant and requires dental treatment that is likely to cause bleeding with a low or high risk of bleeding complications. what day/time should you plan treatment for
- early in the day and early in the week - allow time for the management of prolonged bleeding or re-bleeding episodes should they occur
A patient is taking an anticoagulant and requires dental treatment that is likely to cause bleeding with a low or high risk of bleeding complications. Before they leave the surgery post extraction, what should you do
- ensure bleeding has stopped - use appropriate local measures and only discharge once the patient has achieved haemostasis
- advise to take paracetamol for pain relief rather than NSAIDs such aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac or naproxen
- provide pt with written post treatment advice and emergency contact details
what is INR
- international normalised ratio test which measures the time taken for a clot to form in a blood sample, relative to a standard
a patient is taking warfarin or another vitamin k antagonist with an INR below 4 - how should you treat
treat without interrupting their anticoagulant medication
a patient is taking warfarin or another vitamin k antagonist - when should you check their INR
- ideally no more than 24 hours before procedure
- if pt has stable INR no more than 72 hours before is acceptable