A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON GASTRIC BLEEDING AND DRUG INTERACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTICOAGULANT THERAPY AT CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: Anticoagulants are the class of drugs that are used to prevent thrombus extension and embolic complications by reducing the rate of fibrin formation. They do not dissolve already formed clot but prevent recurrences. Method: A total of 200 patients were included in these prospective, uni-centric, observational studies who were suffering from Cardiovascular Diseases, from the cardiology inpatient department at a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore. Results: It was observed that out of 200 patients included in the study, 122 (61%) patients were treated with anticoagulants and antiplatelets, 75(37.5%) were treated with anticoagulants only. Out of 200 prescriptions encountered, 198 (99%) prescriptions have rational use of anticoagulants and only 2 (1%) were irrational. It was also observed that only 0.5% was present with GI bleeding whereas 2% of the total population was present with other side effects like nasal bleeding, haematuria, etc. Among 200 prescriptions, 251 drug interactions were found with anticoagulants. where Heparin and Aspirin was the most frequently encountered (23.1%) interaction, The least (0.4%) seen drug interactions were Aspirin & Warfarin, Heparin & Eptifibatide, Enoxaparin & Eptifibatide, Heparin & Tirofiban, Heparin & Enoxaparin, Warfarin & Tramadol, Warfarin & Amoxicillin & Glipizide and Heparin. Keywords: GI Bleeding, Anticoagulants