ModuleDraft

Blood thinners (anticoagulants) safety basics — falls, bleeding, procedures

A patient-friendly safety module for people on anticoagulants: bleeding risk basics, fall/head-injury planning, medication list discipline, and what to ask before procedures (no dosing).

Secondary PreventionCaregiver, SurvivorIntermediate15 minStandard (9–12)

Educational only

Educational only — anticoagulant management around missed doses or procedures must be directed by your prescribing team.

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Call emergency services for severe bleeding, new stroke symptoms, or serious head injury symptoms after a fall.

Key takeaways

  • Explain why anticoagulants reduce stroke risk for some causes
  • List top safety behaviors (med list, fall plan, procedure questions)
  • Know what bleeding/head injury symptoms require urgent evaluation

What anticoagulants do

  • Reduce clot formation
  • Used for some stroke mechanisms (e.g., AFib)

Safety behaviors

  • Avoid missed doses
  • One med list
  • Tell every clinician/dentist
  • Fall plan

When to seek urgent help

  • Head injury
  • Severe bleeding
  • Stroke symptoms

Practice check

What you’ll practice

These questions are untimed. After you answer all of them, you’ll see your score and a clear next lesson or reference step.

0 of 2 answered

Question 1

1. If you are on an anticoagulant, a fall with head strike should be taken seriously and discussed urgently with clinicians.

Question 2

2. A best practice before a procedure is to…

References

  1. Tier 1
    AHA/ASA 2021 Secondary Prevention Guideline (antithrombotic decision concepts)
  2. Tier 4
    American Stroke Association: AFib and stroke (patient education)