Types of Blood Thinners
1. Anticoagulants
These slow down the clotting process by targeting clotting factors like thrombin, fibrin, and vitamin K.
- Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) – Vitamin K antagonist
- Heparin – Injectable; works on thrombin and factor Xa
- Enoxaparin (Lovenox) – Low molecular weight heparin
- Apixaban (Eliquis) – Factor Xa inhibitor
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) – Factor Xa inhibitor
- Edoxaban (Savaysa) – Factor Xa inhibitor
- Dabigatran (Pradaxa) – Direct thrombin inhibitor
2. Antiplatelet Drugs
These prevent platelets from clumping together, which helps prevent clot formation.
- Aspirin – Common over-the-counter option
- Clopidogrel (Plavix) – Often used after heart attacks or stents
- Prasugrel (Effient) – Stronger than clopidogrel
- Ticagrelor (Brilinta) – Fast-acting platelet inhibitor
- Dipyridamole (Persantine) – Often combined with aspirin
I did not see Eliquis on your list. Eliquis is a Factor Xa inhibitor, meaning it blocks an enzyme (Factor Xa) involved in the blood clotting process, specifically in the production of thrombin, a key component in clot formation.