Common questions about dabigatran

Dabigatran is a type of medicine known as an anticoagulant.

It makes your blood clot more slowly.

Blood clotting (thickening) is a complicated process involving substances called clotting factors.

Clotting factors are made by the liver and help stop bleeding. They work with blood cells called platelets that trigger the clotting process to make sure your blood clots properly.

Dabigatran works by stopping a clotting factor called thrombin from working. This thins your blood so it takes longer to clot.

Dabigatran works within a few hours of taking it.

Dabigatran is safe to take for a long time.

There do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking it for many months or years.

Do not stop taking dabigatran without talking to your doctor first.

If you stop taking dabigatran, your blood will start clotting at the same rate as before you started taking it, usually within a day or two of stopping.

This means that you may be at increased risk of serious problems like strokes, heart attacks, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism.

Dabigatran does not seem to be harmful for bones or cause any problems for people with conditions like brittle bones (osteoporosis).

There are several other anticoagulants available as tablets or capsules. They include apixaban, edoxaban, rivaroxaban and warfarin.

There are also anticoagulants that you take by injecting them. These include heparin, enoxaparin, dalteparin and tinzaparin.

Not all medicines that prevent blood clots are suitable for everyone. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out why you have been recommended a particular medicine.

You will need to carry an anticoagulant alert card with you at all times.

If you have an accident, it's important that the person treating you knows you are taking an anticoagulant.

Because of the risk of bleeding, your dose of dabigatran may need to be lowered or stopped a few days before you have an operation.

Tell the surgeon that you're taking dabigatran and show them your anticoagulant alert card.

Also tell anyone else involved with your care, such as your anticoagulant specialist, so they can arrange any changes to your medicine for you.

You can still go to your dentist as usual.

But tell your dentist that you're taking dabigatran, and show them your anticoagulant alert card, before you have any treatment.

This is especially important if you need to have a tooth out.

Most people do not need to change their dabigatran dose, but your dentist may contact your doctor for advice before starting the dental treatment.

You can have vaccinations while taking dabigatran.

Tell the person giving you the vaccine that you take dabigatran and show them your anticoagulant alert card in case there's any bleeding at the injection site.

It might help prevent bruising if you press on the injection site for 10 minutes after the vaccination.

You can continue to take part in non-contact sports, such as running, athletics, cycling, tennis and badminton.

But be sure to use the right protective clothing or equipment, like wearing a helmet when riding your bike.

Avoid all contact sports, particularly martial arts and kickboxing. This is because these types of sports could lead to an injury, which would further increase the risk of bleeding.

Having a body piercing or tattoo is not recommended while you're taking dabigatran. This is because of the increased risk of bleeding and infection.

If you still want to go ahead, talk to your doctor about your specific risks in case you need antibiotics.

And let the tattooist or piercer know beforehand that you're taking an anticoagulant medicine.

Dabigatran does not stop any type of contraception from working, including the combined contraceptive pill, progestogen-only pill and emergency contraception.

However, if dabigatran makes you vomit, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do.

Find out more:

• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the combined pill
• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the progestogen-only pill

Most people can drive or ride a bike while taking dabigatran.

But if taking dabigatran makes you feel dizzy or light-headed, do not drive or ride a bike until it goes away.

It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking dabigatran. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

You can drink alcohol while taking dabigatran.

But drinking heavily, especially binge drinking lots of alcohol in one go, is dangerous while taking dabigatran. Alcohol can increase the risk of bleeding.

There are no foods or drinks you need to avoid while taking dabigatran.

It's not clear how recreational drugs like cocaine and heroin affect dabigatran. They could be potentially dangerous.

Injecting while taking dabigatran will increase your risk of bleeding.

Talk to your doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while taking dabigatran.

Find out more about the side effects of some recreational drugs on the Frank website.

You can reduce your risk of having a blood clot by making changes to your lifestyle, such as:

• quitting smoking
• eating a healthy, balanced diet
• getting regular exercise
• keeping to a healthy weight or losing weight if you need to