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NewLife2626
12-13-11, 15:38
As the title suggests I take blood thinners and need some advise as to what would be the best option for me to keep in my bob to control bleeding? I was thinking about quik clot pads but cant find any in town or just keep some gauze pads and some ace wraps, so I would like your thoughts.

Moltke
12-13-11, 16:19
You mean if youre shot? Tourniquet if able, then quik clots. Mostly though, don't get shot.

TriumphRat675
12-13-11, 17:07
You need a tourniquet. Tourniquets are mandatory for any good blow out kit and that goes double for you.

My dad is on blood thinners and gauze just won't cut it to stop any type of bleeding. If you're on blood thinners and dealing with a large wound you need to be able to cut off the blood flow to that wound ASAP if at all possible. Gauze and quik clot won't do that. Tourniquets will.

Quik clot is a good tool for your tool box especially for smaller injuries and you can order it on the internet if it's not locally available.

glocktogo
12-13-11, 17:55
I too take blood thinners under a doctor's care. I keep tampons and heavy gauze pads in my BOB (and range bag), along with tourniquet materials. Most importantly, you need to discuss with your doctor just how much blood thinners you need to take and what your potential hazards are. Just as you'd stop taking them before surgery, you should consider stopping or cutting back before a class or other event where your chance of getting hit increases significantly. I always do before range quals or a major match, because I don't necessarily trust everyone on the range to be as fanatical about safety as I am. As a major match official, I've discussed this treatment management with my doctor. We balance the needs of my heart with the chances I might get shot on the range.

If I were in an emergency bugout situation, I'd stop taking them until things settled down. Again, discuss this with your doctor. You're managing risk here and that requires technical input to do well.

Personally, I don't like Quik Clot. It complicates surgical intervention and adds to the stress levels of the injured. You're trying to manage stress and shock when injured, along with blood loss. However, if you're medication is heavy, your doctor might recommend it for your situation. That's between you and your doc.

Have I mentioned discussing this with your doctor?

Hmac
12-13-11, 19:19
What kind of "blood thinners" are we talking about? Coumadin? Plavix?

Gutshot John
12-13-11, 19:56
Personally, I don't like Quik Clot. It complicates surgical intervention and adds to the stress levels of the injured.

They don't really make quik-clot anymore. It's pretty much been replaced with combat gauze. I think that's what he's talking about since the uninitiated refer to them interchangeably. That said if it's all you got...use it.

I'll take surgical complications over hemorrhagic shock any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Gutshot John
12-14-11, 09:19
It's worth keeping in mind that aspirin is a blood thinner, and those that are on an aspirin/day regimen should consider this.

Paul D
12-14-11, 23:22
I'm a cardiologist and I prescribe various "blood thinners" including aspirin, Plavix (clopidogrel), and Coumadin (warfarin). I also use intravenous anticoagulants like Angiomax (bivalirudin) and heparin during my procedures. You don't need any special equipment, just direct pressure. For example, I have stopped bleeding and closed up a 2.5 mm hole in the common femoral artery with about 15 minutes of direct pressure with three fingers on a patient who was fully dosed with heparin or Angiomax. Of course I know the body's arterial anatomy like the alphabet, but it's not hard to learn. The drug that surgeons hate is Plavix because there's a lot of bloody oozing to soft tissue despite pressure or cauterization. However, if you have a gaping arterial wound and you are on Coumadin, you are hosed.

Hmac
12-15-11, 16:14
I'm a cardiologist and I prescribe various "blood thinners" including aspirin, Plavix (clopidogrel), and Coumadin (warfarin). I also use intravenous anticoagulants like Angiomax (bivalirudin) and heparin during my procedures. You don't need any special equipment, just direct pressure. For example, I have stopped bleeding and closed up a 2.5 mm hole in the common femoral artery with about 15 minutes of direct pressure with three fingers on a patient who was fully dosed with heparin or Angiomax. Of course I know the body's arterial anatomy like the alphabet, but it's not hard to learn. The drug that surgeons hate is Plavix because there's a lot of bloody oozing to soft tissue despite pressure or cauterization. However, if you have a gaping arterial wound and you are on Coumadin, you are hosed.

Yeh. I'm a surgeon. From a bleeding standpoint, the oozing from Plavix tends to cause me far more trouble than Coumadin.

Sensei
12-15-11, 21:54
As an emergency physician, I'll give you my experience with anti-platelets (Aspirin and Plavix) and anticoagulants (Coumadin, heparin, and Pradaxa) and trauma. First, none of these agents do you any favors if you get shot or sustain a major injury. Moreover, there is really nothing that you can carry in an aid bag that will change your mortality if you sustain a major injury since reversal of these agents require transfusion of blood products or recombinant coagulation factors. Generally speaking, the same basic principles of hemorrhage control apply to patients taking these medications (i.e lots of direct pressure and tourniquets only if pressure fails).

Having said that, there are more major bleeding complications with the anticoagulants than the antiplatelets. Coumadin can be especially difficult when it comes to head injuries since delayed intracranial bleeding (often more than 24 hes after injury) is seen even with therapeutic levels. When these intracranial bleeds occur, they are devastating. Pradaxa is the new kid on the block and may have less bleeding complications but fewer means of reversal - time will tell since there are no trauma outcome studies with this medication.

Bottom line, all of these medications have varying degrees of risk. Injury prevention (avoiding ladders, staying sober, and not pissing off your spouse) is the best way to keep from having a bad outcome.