Final answer:
Patients at increased risk of forming blood clots may be prescribed anticoagulant drugs like warfarin (Coumadin) or rivaroxaban (Xarelto). These medications help prevent clot enlargement and recurrent strokes, especially in individuals with cardiovascular issues or certain risk factors. Pharmacogenomics can aid in customizing the treatment to each patient's unique genetic profile.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients who are at increased risk of forming blood clots may receive an anticoagulant drug such as warfarin (Coumadin), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), dabigatran (Pradaxa), apixaban (Eliquis), or heparin. These medications help in preventing the clots from becoming larger and causing more serious problems. They are often prescribed to prevent first or recurrent strokes, and in patients who have experienced a heart attack, unstable angina, ischemic strokes, TIA, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
Anticoagulants work by opposing coagulation, with various substances limiting the coagulation process to prevent the formation of harmful clotting. For example, the protein C system inactivates certain clotting factors, and antithrombin directly inhibits factor X and prevents the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. In surgical patients at risk for blood clots, a pharmaceutical form of heparin might be administered therapeutically.
Moreover, in patients with specific conditions, such as those with a history of blood clots, or cancer, or individuals older than 35 who smoke, preventive treatment with anticoagulants or even aspirin combined with another antiplatelet drug (dual antiplatelet therapy, DAPT) is usually prescribed. Pharmacogenomics can assist in tailoring the treatment to individual patients, potentially reducing the risk of overdose by considering factors like liver function, which affects drug metabolism.