Best Vascular Care in Silicon Valley Archives

Over the next few weeks, I want to discuss the medications that vascular surgeons may prescribe. These medications include anticoagulants, antiplatelets, statins, and other miscellaneous agents. This week I will discuss anticoagulants!

Anticoagulation refers to agents that STOP the clotting of blood. The clotting of blood starts with what is known as the coagulation cascade. The cascade refers to a series of consecutive events each involving special proteins that are needed to occur for blood to form a clot. Different anticoagulants block specific parts of the cascade. The main reason we usually see patients with anticoagulants are for hypercoagulable states, certain heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation, and deep vein thromboses otherwise known as blood clots. Hypercoagulable states are specific genetically inherited disorders that result in the blood being more likely to clot. Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias can cause blood clots to form in the heart.

Anticoagulant agents are given to prevent the formation of clots in the heart that can then break off and go to the brain, hands, feet, kidneys, or any other part of the body and cause problems.

Deep vein thrombosis or blood clots mandate the prescription of anticoagulant therapy to ensure that more blood clot does not form.

Anticoagulants can be broken up by many different classification schemes. For the purposes of this blog, I will limit our discussion here to agents that are appropriate for the OUTPATIENT (Outside of the hospital) setting. Please speak with you private physician to answer any additional questions you may have regarding Anticoagulation medication of feel free to reach out to me directions for more information on how anticoagulation is used. Anticoagulation agents that are used during hospitalization or in the IN-PATIENT setting in patients are outside the scope of this article.

Up until the 2010’s the mainstay of anticoagulation therapy was with a drug called warfarin (Trade name: Coumadin). Warfarin, though effective, requires the weekly or biweekly measurement of a specific lab for the blood called the prothrombin time. The active monitoring of the prothrombin time facilitates modulation of dosing to always allow for safe levels of effective therapeutic anticoagulation. Since the beginning of the 21st century new agents have come to market that require only taking one or two pills a day. They include Xarelto or Rivaroxaban and Eliquis or apixaban.

If you have a question about how your medications may be affecting your vascular disease, please do not hesitate to call and schedule an appointment today!

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is Silicon Valley’s largest and most trusted Vascular Surgery practice. Serving South Bay communities for over 26 years, Dr Kokinos and her Colleague, Dr Ignatius Lau are the region’s foremost experts in advanced vascular care and provide innovative care for patients suffering from circulation relation problems. At South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute our job is to understand the “Why” so that you have real solutions to living a healthy life. Call us today at 408-376-3626 or visit our website at www.southbayvascular.com to learn about what makes us the most referred to vascular surgery clinic in Silicon Valley.

WHAT IS PAD?

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a common and often underdiagnosed circulatory disease where blood flow to the legs and feet is restricted by the narrowing of blood vessels due to plaque buildup.

ARE YOU AT RISK FOR PAD?

Smoking is the most powerful predictor of PAD: Are you a current or former smoker?
1 in 10 Americans over the age of 40 have PAD
Do you or your loved one have diabetes?
Struggle with high blood pressure or cholesterol?
Suffer from kidney disease?
Risk for amputation is 10 times greater in patients with both PAD and diabetes vs PAD alone

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PAD CAN BE TREATED!

With an early diagnosis, you may have more treatment options and may have a better chance to reduce or eliminate your symptoms. Left untreated, however, PAD can lead to amputation and put you or your loved one’s quality of life and long-term health at serious risk.

Dr. Polly G Kokinos, a board certified Vascular and General Surgeon in Campbell, CA. is recognized as one of the regions foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. With offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her 24 year career to serving the South County community as a Vascular Surgeon and is a pioneer in the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Unlike other Vascular Surgeons in the region who do their work at a local hospital or in shared facilities, Dr. Kokinos’ does her surgeries in a private, nationally accredited Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence. She focuses entirely on treating patients suffering from complex vascular disorders and unlike a traditional hospital she has the most advanced imaging and device technology available anywhere in the world. Most importantly, unlike a Univeristy or community hospitals, Dr. Kokinos’ patients experience the individualized care of “One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse” rather than the cold, informal “production” environment of a typical hospital.

If you or anyone you love suffers from any of the conditions listed above, please call our office at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment. Most insurances are accepted and our staff typically can schedule an appointment within a few days for an initial consulation and non-invasive vascular ultrasound study. All ultrasound testing is done in our on-site Vascular Ultrasound Lab, The Institute for Vascular Testing making it significantly easier for our patients to be fully evaluated in a single visit and in a single facility.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute: We Offer Hope When Others Say There Is None

Tag: Best Vascular Care in Silicon Valley

BLOOD THINNING MEDICATIONS PART 1: ANTICOAGULANTS: WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY USED?

ARE YOU AT RISK FOR PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD)?