Patient was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Pradaxa as follows:
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of Pradaxa as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Noncompliance with this recommendation can result in episodes of bleeding or clot formation. So, do not change your dose of Pradaxa, without your doctor’s recommendation.
- Keep up with use of laxatives and other measures to prevent constipation. Avoid straining at stool, as this could result in profuse bleeding per rectum.
- If you are being scheduled for any surgical procedure, Pradaxa must be discontinued, a few days before the scheduled date for surgery. Pradaxa can be started back again after the surgical procedure, upon your doctor’s recommendation. Discuss with your doctors and other health care team members regarding your schedule on discontinuing Pradaxa and starting back on it.
- Watch for hard surfaces around during ambulation and avoid knocking against them. Senior citizens have a tender skin and bumping into such surfaces can result in bleeding into the skin. Sometimes, the bleeding can be profuse and alarming. Closely follow for symptoms of sudden bleeding into the skin and formation of brownish red patches on the skin, especially on the outer surfaces of the extremities.
