Management of the anticoagulated dental patient

An understanding of the primary mechanisms of hemostasis, including the coagulation pathways and the intrinsic, extrinsic, and common systems, is the basis for treating the anticoagulated patient. Two major anticoagulants are used for treating those who may be at risk for thromboembolic crisis. These drugs include Coumadin, which is an oral anticoagulant, and heparin, a parenteral anticoagulant, which is often used for acute thromboembolic episodes or for hospitalization protocols that include significant surgical procedures. The practitioner should be familiar with common dental drugs that can interact with anticoagulants and should consult with the patient's physician before administering any such drugs. By placing the patient into one of three dental treatment categories, appropriate anticoagulation therapy can be rendered to each patient according to his or her needs. Low-risk procedures require no change in anticoagulation medication. For moderate-risk procedures, withdrawal of anticoagulation medication 2 days before the procedure and verified with the PT the day of the procedure is indicated. For high-risk dental procedures, using a heparin protocol should be strongly considered. In all instances of dental treatment, the oral tissues should be treated atraumatically using local hemostatic measures for control of hemorrhage. Treating medically compromised patients who are on a variety of medications is becoming more common in dentistry today. Understanding the underlying disease and the appropriate protocol for treatment of anticoagulated patients reduces the risk of thromboembolism and hemorrhagic complications.