It also raises levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which prevents clots from breaking down, affecting the balance between blood clotting and thinning, especially in heavy drinkers. The two primary types of blood thinners are anticoagulants and antiplatelets. Doctors prescribe these medications for conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, and heart valve replacement.
Can You Drink Alcohol on Blood Thinners? − Key Takeaways
Long-term, excessive drinking can decrease your heart’s ability to function correctly. Therefore, a person should not drink alcohol instead of taking blood thinning medications as a doctor has prescribed. Blood clotting is essential to prevent blood loss when someone is injured or wounded. For example, if a blood clot forms and limits the flow of blood in the arteries, doctors call this thrombosis.
- Blood travels through blood vessels in a liquid form to bring oxygen and nutrients to tissues throughout the body.
- When it comes to the health of your blood vessels, have a conversation with your doctor.
- This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Should You Drink Alcohol While Taking Blood Thinners?
Alcohol use — especially in excess — can also pose other risks to your health. Doctors warn people who are taking Aggrenox to moderate their alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking with these drugs increases the risk of stomach bleeding. The researchers also wanted to understand the blood thinners and alcohol mechanism at work, so they fed xylitol to mice, added it to blood and plasma in a lab and gave a xylitol-containing drink to 10 healthy volunteers. In all these cases, xylitol seemed to activate platelets, which are the blood component that controls clotting, said Hazen.
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Researchers also found decreased rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) and non-fatal stroke among people who drank alcohol compared to those who didn’t. In addition, some direct-acting oral anticoagulants are broken down in the liver; if you have alcohol-induced liver disease, tell your healthcare provider. Long-term alcohol use also can lead to an increased risk of developing arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats, as well as cardiomyopathy, a stretching or drooping of the heart. When structural changes take place, it affects how well the blood pumps blood throughout the rest of the body. Alcohol consumption may decrease the amount of fibrinogen in the blood.
What are some signs I should call a doctor?
Warfarin and Alcohol
- Being on any blood thinner will increase your risk of bleeding.
- For healthy adults, doctors recommend limiting alcohol intake to a maximum of two drinks a day for males and one drink a day for females.
- Avoiding the combination of blood thinners and alcohol is much more difficult for those addicted to alcohol.