When an anti-coagulation medication is used as part of treatment for certain heart conditions or other disorders, it is essential that the level of dosage is carefully monitored. Blood clotting is an important part of how the human body regulates itself and compensates for injury. Anti-coagulation medication slows or disrupts that clotting function in order to avoid problems just after surgery or when the patient is dealing with a delicate cardiovascular problem.

Very often anti-coagulation medicines are used while a patient is receiving care in a controlled environment like a hospital. But the need to continue the use of that medication goes on throughout the recuperation period. There is a difficulty that arises because of the need for regular monitoring of the dosage of anti-coagulation medications to assure that the medication is doing its job and not causing additional problems for the patient.

When a patient returns home and is outside of medical supervision, diet or other medications can interact with anti-coagulation medicines in a negative way. The need for adjustment of anti-coagulation medicines is routine and expected so that the treatment will perform to expectations in the patient’s bloodstream and so changes in the behavior of the medication do not pose new problems for the patient.

Before the proliferation of anti-coagulation clinics, getting that ongoing monitoring of medication was difficult and often not timely enough to do any good. When a patient had to routinely go to the hospital for a blood test to monitor the performance of anti-coagulation medicines, the process was impractical and laborious. Further, blood tests took a day or more to analyze which was not efficient when anti-coagulation medicines needed adjustment immediately.

Anti-coagulation clinics have helped with this problem tremendously. Because these clinics have the resources and the expertise to check blood levels quickly, adjustments to anti-coagulation medication levels can be done quickly which is far better for the patient’s well being. Further, anti-coagulation clinics have the ability to take blood samples from the finger rather than directly from a vein. This is less painful for the patient. But of greatest importance, if a patient is having difficulty because of their anti-coagulation medication, a clinic can take action quickly to correct the situation and get the patient back on the road to good health quickly and safely.

http://www.openmedicine.ca/article/view/112/224

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http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-anticoagulation-clinic.htm