Since last year I have been taking blood thinners for atrial fibrillation (target value of the INR: between 2.5 and 3.5). I recently fell with my scooter. I had a major internal bleeding on my leg, was in the hospital for five weeks. I had surgery twice and then had another skin graft because the wound was too big for normal healing. Now I wonder, don’t those blood thinners do a lot more harm than good?
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
Blood thinners are indeed dangerous drugs. An INR of 3 means your blood takes three times as long to clot as someone else’s. Many people who take blood thinners and have an accident end up in the hospital.
Unfortunately, these resources are also indispensable. If you have atrial fibrillation and you do not take blood thinners, the chance of a stroke due to a clot in your brain is 5 percent per year. With blood thinners, the risk is equal to that of a healthy peer. A stroke is a specter; many doctors also see it as one of the worst things that can happen to you.
A lot of research is being done on other blood thinners. But there is no such thing as a drug that prevents blood clots without increasing the risk of bleeding. This means that you are more vulnerable in (traffic) accidents and the like. It is therefore wise to seek medical help quickly in the event of injuries and accidents.
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