Anticoagulant

An anticoagulant is a pharmaceutical drug or natural substance that prevents the clotting of blood called a Thrombus. Two common anticoagulant drugs are Heparin and Warfarin, which both act to prevent the clotting of blood in a vein or artery that may lead to a fatality. Heparin is administered intravenously and therefore is used in an emergency to elicit a quick response, such as in arterial fibrillation. Warfarin is administered in a tablet form, and can be used to prevent a blood clot from either forming or becoming larger. It works by reducing the amount of active Vitamin K in the blood, which is required for the mechanism of blood clotting factor VII and prothrombin.