The Summa Health Anticoagulation Management Service has a track record of low bleeding and clotting complication occurrence compared to the national average. Our team provides you with:

• Easy access to a pharmacist and/or a nurse with special training in anticoagulation therapy
• Evidence-based medication management
• Urgent evaluations for changes in clinical status
• Support from a pharmacist and/or a nurse in making changes to diet and medication
• Ongoing patient and family education
• Higher time in therapeutic range (TTR) than the national standard for patients taking Warfarin

While this therapy is important, it is not without risks. There are many drugs (both prescription and nonprescription) that can interact with anticoagulant medications. Eating certain foods also can interfere with the effectiveness of anticoagulant medications by increasing or decreasing the ability of blood to clot – which increases the risk for developing a blood clot or causing excessive bleeding. Careful monitoring by a healthcare professional is required to avoid bleeding or clotting complications.

While there is no INR monitoring for some of the newer anticoagulant medications, they still require monitoring by a healthcare provider to ensure you don’t have any bleeding or clotting complications. The Summa Health Anticoagulation Management Service clinic offers monitoring programs for these agents that consist of office visits every 3-12 months, phone calls, and checking necessary labs when needed.

Newer anticoagulant medications include:

• Apixaban^®/Eliquis
• Rivaroxaban^®/Xarelto
• Dabigatran^®/Pradaxa
• Edoxaban^®/Savaysa

During your initial visit to the Summa Health Anticoagulation Management Service clinic:

• You will meet with a nurse or pharmacist with special training in the use of anticoagulants.
• If you are on Warfarin (also known as Coumadin or Jantoven^®), your finger will be pricked with a needle to draw a small blood sample for INR testing (to measure the ability of your blood to clot).
• The pharmacist or nurse will ask questions to check for any bleeding or clotting problems.
• Your medication dosage will be adjusted by a pharmacist or nurse (if needed).
• You will receive educational instruction from a pharmacist or nurse during which you will have the opportunity to ask questions about your therapy.
• Subsequent visits with the nurse or pharmacist will occur at regular intervals, depending on the type of anticoagulant medication you are taking.

We will share information about your progress and provide a status update to your physician on an as-needed basis.

Contact the Summa Health Anticoagulation Management Service clinic at 330.375.3226.