Dabigatran
About Dabigatran
Dabigatran is a prescription medication used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with a heart rhythm disorder called non-valvular atrial fibrillation. It is also prescribed to treat and prevent deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the deep veins, usually of the leg) and pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs). This medicine plays a crucial role in preventing dangerous clots from forming or growing larger in your blood vessels.
For this medicine to work effectively, it must be taken consistently every day exactly as prescribed by your doctor, usually once or twice daily. You can take this medication with or without food, though taking it with a meal can help if it causes stomach upset. Incorporating simple habits, such as staying active and avoiding long periods of sitting, can further support healthy circulation while you are taking this medicine.
While taking Dabigatran, some people may experience mild side effects like indigestion, heartburn, or minor bruising. However, you must monitor your body closely and contact your doctor immediately if you notice serious signs of bleeding, such as unusual nosebleeds, pink urine, or dark, tarry stools.
Talk to your doctor before starting this medicine if you have kidney disease, a history of stomach ulcers, or any active bleeding conditions. Do not take this if you have a mechanical heart valve or have had a severe allergic reaction to this medication in the past.
Certain medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other blood thinners, can interact with Dabigatran to increase your risk of bleeding, while heavy alcohol use can increase the risk of stomach irritation. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or are an older adult, talk to your doctor to understand how this medicine fits into your treatment safely.
Uses of Dabigatran
Medicinal Benefits
Dabigatran helps prevent and treat harmful blood clots by reducing the blood's ability to clot. It lowers the risk of serious complications while providing convenient long-term anticoagulation.
- Prevents Blood Clots: Helps reduce the formation of harmful blood clots in the legs, lungs, and other parts of the body.
- Reduces Stroke Risk: Helps lower the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in people with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
- Treats Existing Blood Clots: Helps prevent existing clots from becoming larger and reduces the risk of recurrent clotting events.
- Provides Convenient Long-Term Protection: Unlike some older blood thinners, Dabigatran does not usually require routine blood tests to monitor its anticoagulant effect.
- Supports Daily Well-Being: Reliable clot prevention helps you maintain your daily activities with greater confidence and peace of mind.
Directions for Use
- Dabigatran can be taken with or without food as advised by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication to ensure safety.
- Swallow Dabigatran as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not chew, crush, or break it.
Storage
Side Effects of Dabigatran
Common Side Effects (Usually mild)
- Indigestion, heartburn, or stomach pain
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Minor bruising or small skin scrapes that bleed slightly longer than usual
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away)
- Unusual, severe, or heavy bleeding (such as coughing up blood, vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds, or frequent nosebleeds)
- Pink, red, or brown urine, or red or black tarry stools
- Severe dizziness, fainting, unexplained fatigue, or looking unusually pale
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction, including skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, and difficulty breathing
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Swallow Capsules Whole: Do not break, chew, or open the capsules, as this may increase the risk of bleeding.
- Store in the Original Packaging: Keep Dabigatran in its original container or blister pack. Do not transfer the capsules to pill organisers, as moisture can reduce their effectiveness.
- Carry Medical Identification: Wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a medical ID card stating that you are taking an anticoagulant.
- Seek Medical Attention After Injury: Contact your doctor immediately if you experience a fall, head injury, or significant trauma, even if you feel well, as internal bleeding may occur.
- Do Not Stop Treatment Abruptly: Never stop taking Dabigatran without consulting your doctor, as this may increase your risk of stroke or blood clots.
Drug Interactions
- Other blood thinners: Medications like warfarin, heparin, or other anticoagulants can dramatically increase your risk of severe bleeding when taken together with Dabigatran.
- Pain relievers (NSAIDs): Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin can irritate your stomach lining and significantly increase your risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding.
- Certain antifungals and heart medicines: Drugs such as ketoconazole, amiodarone, or quinidine can increase the level of Dabigatran in your bloodstream, raising your bleeding risk.
- Rifampin: This antibiotic can lower the levels of Dabigatran in your body, potentially making it less effective at preventing clots.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid consumption of alcohol with Dabigatran as it may increase the risk of bleeding.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorDabigatran is unsafe to use during pregnancy since it affects the foetus. Please talk to your doctor if you are planning to become pregnant or already pregnant before starting Dabigatran.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorThere is limited data on how Dabigatran affects breastfeeding. However, it is unsafe to use Dabigatran if you are lactating, since it passes through the breast milk and harm the baby. Please consult your doctor before starting Dabigatran.
Driving
consult your doctorDabigatran usually does not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns.
Liver
consult your doctorLet your doctor know if you have any history of liver diseases or hepatic impairment.
Kidney
consult your doctorLet your doctor know if you have any history of kidney diseases.However, it is not recommended in patients with severe kidney diseases.
Children
unsafeDabigatran is not recommended for children below the age of 18 years. The safety and efficacy of Dabigatran have not been established in children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Choose Low-Risk Physical Activities: Avoid contact sports or activities with a high risk of falls or injuries. Low-impact exercises such as walking or swimming are generally safer.
- Reduce the Risk of Bleeding: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and an electric razor to help minimise cuts and bleeding.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: Excessive alcohol consumption may increase the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding.
- Stay Well-Hydrated: Drink adequate fluids throughout the day unless your doctor has advised you to restrict your fluid intake.
Special Advise
- You should have regular platelet count, factor V assay, fibrinogen level test, prothrombin time test (PT or PT-INR), and the INR, or international normalized ratio, to analyze your blood clotting time.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Thrombosis/Blood Clot: A blood clot can occur in any part of the body and can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or damage to organs. Blood clots can reach the arteries or veins in the organs like the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, and limbs. Conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetes, heart failure, irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), and obesity/overweight can trigger excessive blood clotting in the brain and heart.
Deep vein thrombosis(blood clots in legs): It is a medical condition in which blood clots form in deep veins, usually in the legs. The symptoms include leg pain or swelling.
Pulmonary embolism(blood clots in the lung): It is a chronic condition that occurs when the blood clots break and travel to the lungs from deep veins in the legs or other parts of the body. The symptoms of pulmonary embolism include cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Stroke (blood clots in the brain): It occurs when the supply of blood to part of your brain is stopped or reduced. This prevents brain tissue from getting nutrients and oxygen, leading to the death of brain cells.
Heart attack: A heart attack means the death of heart tissue due to a shortage of blood supply to the heart muscles. This can occur when there is an accumulation of cholesterol or fat narrowing the heart's major veins, or when other substances, like a blood clot, are blocking the flow of blood.
FAQs
Dabigatran belongs to a class of drugs known as anticoagulants or blood thinners used to prevent the risk of stroke and heart attack in patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), reducing blood clot formation.
Please consult your doctor if Dabigatran needs to be discontinued before undergoing surgery. The doctor might ask you to stop taking Dabigatran a few days before surgery since it can cause an increased risk of bleeding during surgery. It also causes a serious blood clot around your spinal cord if you undergo a spinal tap or receive spinal anaesthesia (epidural). This type of blood clot could cause long-term paralysis.
Dabigatran is generally safe to take for a long time. It works best if you take it for many months or even years. It is advisable please consult your doctor and take Dabigatran for as long as your doctor has prescribed it.
Taking Dabigatran during pregnancy may cause bleeding in the mother or the newborn baby. However, please consult your doctor if you are planning to become pregnant or already pregnant before starting Dabigatran.
No, you are not recommended to stop taking Dabigatran without consulting your doctor to worsen the condition. Therefore, take Dabigatran for as long as your doctor has prescribed it.
You can take Dabigatran with or without food but try to take it at the same time every day. Swallow the capsules whole with a drink of water. Do not open dabigatran capsules before taking them, as this increases the risk of side effects.
Take Dabigatran as prescribed by your doctor. Depending on your medical conditions, you are advised to take Dabigatran as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you.
You are recommended to avoid consumption of alcohol with Dabigatran as it may increase the risk of bleeding.
Hair loss is not a known side effect of Dabigatran. However, it is known to occur with anticoagulants. Consult your doctor if you observe hair loss. Your doctor guide you on how to cope with this situation.
It varies from person to person and depends on the conditions that we treat.
Limited research available. Let your doctor know if you have/had liver diseases or hepatic impairment. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Dabigatran. However, it is not recommended in patients with severe liver diseases.
Store in a cool and dry place away from sunlight. Keep Dabigatran out of the sight and reach of children.
Yes, bleeding is the main risk associated with Dabigatran treatment; patients should be monitored for signs of bleeding.
Dabigatran is not suitable for some people with existing medical conditions. So, to ensure safety, let your doctor know about all your medical conditions and medications. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Dabigatran.
Common side effects of Dabigatran may include bleeding, anaemia, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
No. You must never open, chew, or crush Dabigatran capsules. Doing so can increase the amount of medicine (bioavailability) absorbed by your body by up to 75%, greatly increasing the risk of serious bleeding. Always swallow the capsule whole. If you have difficulty swallowing capsules, speak to your doctor about suitable treatment options.
For minor cuts, apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth or bandage for several minutes. If the bleeding does not stop after 10 to 15 minutes, or if the cut is deep or spurting, seek emergency medical care immediately. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you experience frequent bleeding.
You should avoid taking pain relievers like ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin unless specifically directed by your doctor. These medications can irritate your stomach and greatly increase your risk of internal bleeding. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about safer alternatives, such as acetaminophen.
Once you open the bottle, you must use the capsules within 4 months (120 days). Be sure to write the opening date on the label. Always keep the bottle tightly closed to protect the medication from moisture, and talk to your pharmacist if you have unused capsules left after 4 months.
No, you should never put Dabigatran capsules into daily or weekly pillboxes. The capsules are highly sensitive to moisture and must remain in their original bottle or blister pack until you take them to prevent them from breaking down. Talk to your pharmacist if you need tips on remembering your daily doses.
Unlike older anticoagulants, Dabigatran does not require routine blood monitoring to adjust your dose. However, your doctor will likely perform periodic blood tests to evaluate your kidney function, especially if you have known kidney issues. Talk to your doctor to determine how often you need your kidneys checked.
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