Blood Thinner Can Cause Stroke In Some Dialysis Patients

Blood Thinner Can Cause Stroke In Some Dialysis Patients

 A study, which is to be published in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN), found that the blood thinner warfarin can cause strokes in kidney disease patients on dialysis. 

The researchers studied 1,671 end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) patients with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.  Patients’ health was monitored for an average of 1.6 years after dialysis was started.

People with atrial fibrillation, the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, have a significantly increased risk of stroke.  However, the researchers found that the increase in risk was related to the degree of blood thinning in response to the drug. Dialysis patients whose blood was not monitored for warfarin levels after they received the drug had the highest risk of stroke. Get free information about atrial fibrillation from the medical malpractice attorneys at Berger & Lagnese, LLC.