Celebrating a milestone of helping patients on blood thinners

At Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill., patients on blood thinners to avoid blood clots are seen at the Anticoagulation Clinic, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The clinic is part of the hospital's Health Management Center, and currently is staffed with six pharmacists.

"When the clinic opened in April of 2003, seven patients were enrolled and it was open about 24 hours each week," says Sandra Checri, a clinical pharmacist in Good Shepherd's Anticoagulation Clinic since 2007. "Now the clinic is open Monday to Friday, managing more than 640 patients each month."

The pharmacists see about 19 to 35 patients each day, working 7 am to 7 pm two days a week to accommodate after-work hours. They manage patients' anticoagulation therapy and monitor for side effects and dosing changes when surgeries and procedures are scheduled.

"The clinic really has come a long way," Checri says, adding that patients are seen at the clinic by physician referral and appointment only.

To better understand blood clots, and how likely you are to develop one, it's important to know what causes them. Blood clots form when the flow of blood in a vein slows down, or damage occurs to a vein and prevents your blood from circulating properly.

When blood clots occur in deep veins, such as those in your legs, it's called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If the clot breaks loose and travels to your brain, it can cause a stroke. If the clot travels to your lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism (PE). This can be a very serious condition because you can die if the flow of blood and oxygen is blocked.

Classic symptoms for DVT include pain, swelling, discoloration (bluish or reddish) and warmth. For PEs, symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, lightheadedness, rapid pulse, an unexplained cough, perhaps even coughing up blood.

Common risk factors include obesity, pregnancy, increase in estrogen (such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy), smoking, sitting for a long period of time, especially with your legs crossed, or lying in bed for a long time with your legs still. Blood clots also can form after major surgery or after you've injured a vein, perhaps caused by a broken bone or severe muscle injury.

If someone in your family has had a stroke, heart attack or any type of blood clots, this also can mean you are at higher risk for having clots and should talk with your doctor about it.

To reduce your risk for dangerous blood clots, health care providers offer several suggestions.

"Get active," says Dr. Sameena Jawed, an Advocate Medical Group family medicine physician at Advocate Good Shepherd. "Make sure to exercise regularly and avoid sitting still. If you are sitting for a long time, during travel in a plane or car, don't cross your legs, and try to stand or walk when you can. Losing weight and quitting smoking also can help you avoid blood clots."