Blood clots can cause serious consequences if not managed appropriately. The Outpatient Anticoagulation Clinic at Mount Nittany Medical Center provides this management with integrated services that attend to patient needs in a single visit.
Pharmacist Ashley Kader stopped by the set to talk about the services provided by, and the benefits received by patients at Mount Nittany's Anticoagulation Clinic.
Anticoagulation is using drug therapy to prevent blood from clotting, which can cause a stroke or a heart attack. Anticoagulants are commonly called "blood thinners", and can be prescribed for the remainder of someone's life. Routine laboratory monitoring and dose adjustments are needed for effective anticoagulation therapy.
Your initial appointment at the anticoagulation clinic will last about 45 minutes, while a typical appointment will last about 15 minutes. Medical personnel will ask patients to evaluate their therapy and make dosage decisions. They will also review current medications, evaluate signs of bleeding, do finger-stick INR testing, and, if necessary, can call in a prescription.
INR tests assess the level or degree of clotting in the blood. They are also used to monitor if the patient's dosage is too low or too high. INR tests use a quick and easy finger stick, delivering results in seconds.
Why go to the Anticoagulation Clinic as opposed to your doctor? Studies show patients at the Clinic have more stability, need fewer adjustments and have an overall improved outcome when managed in that setting. It provides integrated service in a single visit, and is both close and convenient. Mount Nittany's Anticoagulation Clinic takes new patients every week, and has recently expanded their services to include eight pharmacists and a specially-trained medical director who oversees the clinic.
For more information on the pharmacists, facility, or services of the Mount Nittany Medical Center Anticoagulation Clinic, visit www.mountnittany.org/anticoag. If you're interested in enrolling in the clinic, contact your primary physician.
Pharmacist Ashley Kader stopped by the set to talk about the services provided by, and the benefits received by patients at Mount Nittany's Anticoagulation Clinic.
Anticoagulation is using drug therapy to prevent blood from clotting, which can cause a stroke or a heart attack. Anticoagulants are commonly called "blood thinners", and can be prescribed for the remainder of someone's life. Routine laboratory monitoring and dose adjustments are needed for effective anticoagulation therapy.
Your initial appointment at the anticoagulation clinic will last about 45 minutes, while a typical appointment will last about 15 minutes. Medical personnel will ask patients to evaluate their therapy and make dosage decisions. They will also review current medications, evaluate signs of bleeding, do finger-stick INR testing, and, if necessary, can call in a prescription.
INR tests assess the level or degree of clotting in the blood. They are also used to monitor if the patient's dosage is too low or too high. INR tests use a quick and easy finger stick, delivering results in seconds.
Why go to the Anticoagulation Clinic as opposed to your doctor? Studies show patients at the Clinic have more stability, need fewer adjustments and have an overall improved outcome when managed in that setting. It provides integrated service in a single visit, and is both close and convenient. Mount Nittany's Anticoagulation Clinic takes new patients every week, and has recently expanded their services to include eight pharmacists and a specially-trained medical director who oversees the clinic.
For more information on the pharmacists, facility, or services of the Mount Nittany Medical Center Anticoagulation Clinic, visit www.mountnittany.org/anticoag. If you're interested in enrolling in the clinic, contact your primary physician.
