Safety-first • Emergency-ready
Blood thinners can save lives — and can turn routine injuries into life‑threatening bleeds.
This site is a practical, plain‑English guide to the highest‑risk scenarios: falls, crashes, head trauma, internal bleeding, and what emergency teams need to know (fast).
Top risks: brain bleed, GI bleed, hemorrhagic shock
Critical action: disclose medication immediately
Know: reversal options exist for some drugs
If you’re on a blood thinner and you hit your head, do not “wait and see”.
Even mild symptoms can precede delayed intracranial bleeding. Seek urgent medical assessment.
Start here
Short, focused pages you can skim quickly
Drug types (anticoagulants vs antiplatelets)
What “blood thinner” means, common names, and why the risks differ.
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Bleeding risks that matter in real life
Head bleeds, GI bleeds, surgical bleeds — and early warning signs.
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Trauma & emergencies
Car crashes, falls, sports injuries: what to tell responders immediately.
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What happens if you don’t disclose?
Why undisclosed blood thinners delay treatment and increase mortality risk.
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Travel: language & emergency phrases
Simple statements you can show or say when traveling abroad.
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Evidence & references
Guidelines, reversal agents, and high-level citations (expandable).
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Quick checklist
Print‑friendly, “what to do” not theory
If you take a blood thinner
- Carry a medication list (drug + dose) and why you take it.
- Wear a medical ID or keep an emergency card in your wallet.
- After a fall or head impact: get evaluated — especially with headache, confusion, vomiting, weakness, or unusual drowsiness.
- Report black stools, vomiting blood, severe bruising, or prolonged bleeding.
Tell emergency staff immediately
- The exact drug name (e.g., warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel).
- Last dose time (even approximate).
- Other bleeding‑risk meds (NSAIDs, aspirin, supplements) if relevant.
- Kidney/liver disease (affects clearance), recent surgery, or prior bleeds.
Why disclosure helps
- Faster triage for imaging (e.g., CT after head trauma).
- Earlier reversal / clotting support when indicated.
- Safer surgical planning and transfusion readiness.
- Lower risk of catastrophic delays.