If you are an inpatient at Kingston Hospital we may recommend the following blood thinning medications for you:
- dalteparin, or
- fondaparinux.
Why we recommend blood thinners
We may recommend blood thinners because:
- your reduced mobility in hospital can increase the risk of blood clots
- you have a condition that increases the risk of blood clots, such as COVID-19, an irregular heart rhythm or cancer
- you need treatment for an existing blood clot
- you have risk factors which can increase your risk of blood clots while in hospital (for example pregnancy, increased weight or increased age)
- you take medication which can increase your risk of blood clots (for example HRT/hormone replacement therapy or hormonal contraception)
- you are having a type of surgery which may increase your risk of blood clots (for example hip or knee replacement surgery).
Risks of blood thinners
Blood thinners can help prevent blood clots, but they can also increase the risk of bleeding.
Before we prescribe them, we assess both your risk of developing blood clots and your risk of bleeding. We only recommend blood thinners if we consider the benefits to you are greater than the risks.
Speak to your doctor, nurse, or midwife if you are worried about bleeding or bruising.
About dalteparin
Dalteparin (brand name Fragmin) is a blood thinning medication that we may prescribe for you. We inject it into the skin on your abdomen (tummy), outer thigh or outer upper arm, once or twice a day.
Dalteparin helps to reduce the risk of you developing either:
- blood clots in your legs (known as a deep vein thrombosis or DVT), or
- blood clots in your lungs (known as a pulmonary embolism or PE).
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Dalteparin is derived from pigs. This means it may be unacceptable for some patients, due to faith or lifestyle factors. If you need more information on this, speak to your doctor, nurse or midwife. For these patients, we can prescribe a blood thinning medication called fondaparinux. |
About fondaparinux
Fondaparinux (brand name Arixtra) is a synthetic (artificially made) blood thinning medication. It is not derived from animal products. We inject it under your skin once a day.
It reduces the risk of you developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). We can also use it to treat DVT and PE.
Risks of fondaparinux
- Fondaparinux may not be suitable in some cases, such as severe kidney disease.
- If a patient bleeds while taking fondaparinux, we are unable to use medication to reverse its blood-thinning effects. (If a patient bleeds while taking dalteparin, we can use medication to reverse its blood-thinning effects.)
- The blood-thinning effect of fondaparinux lasts longer than with dalteparin. This can cause some surgical procedures to be delayed.
We will discuss the suitability of these medications with you, and answer any questions that you may have.
Contact information
Kingston Hospital Haematology department