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Benefits of continuing anti-blood clot medication outweigh the risks: study
August 10, 2016
An analysis of an international trial, published in
Chest
and led by Dr.
Philip Wells
, found that the benefits of using the anti-blood clotting medication rivaroxaban long-term to treat clots in the legs outweigh the risks. Over 30,000 Canadians every year are affected by these clots, which can travel to the lungs and block an artery. While these patients are often prescribed anti-clotting drugs, many doctors feel that the risk of major bleeding is too great to continue the treatment for more than six to 12 months. However, this study of 1,197 patients who were given either rivaroxaban or a placebo for up to a year after the standard six-month treatment showed that blood clots came back in three percent of the patients on the drugs compared to 9.6 percent of the placebo patients. Only 0.7 percent of patients on the anti-clotting drug experienced major bleeding, showing that the risk of continuing the treatment is minimal.
Authors:
Wells PS, Prins MH, Levitan B, Beyer-Westendorf J, Brighton TA, Bounameaux H, Cohen AT, Davidson BL, Prandoni P, Raskob GE, Yuan Z, Katz EG, Gebel M, Lensing AW.
Funders:
Bayer Healthcare, Janssen Pharmaceutical Research & Development LLC
The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care.
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
For further information, please contact
Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca