Blood thinner medications often cause visible blood in the urine. This issue can be severe enough to need medical care. A new study from Sunnybrook confirms this risk.
Researchers examined data from over 2.5 million Ontarians aged 66 or older. More than 800,000 of them took antithrombotic drugs over 13 years. Those on blood thinners had 123 cases of visible blood in urine per 1,000 people needing intervention. This rate was higher than the 80 per 1,000 for those not on the drugs.
Patients on these drugs faced a 2- to 6-fold higher risk of hospitalization from severe bleeding. The study included older drugs like warfarin and aspirin, plus newer ones such as apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban. All types linked to higher rates of this problem.
Blood in the urine occurred more often in older, sicker men. These patients visited emergency rooms five times more than those not on the medications. The drugs also revealed hidden bladder cancer at twice the rate seen in the general population.
Dr. Robert Nam, a urologist at Sunnybrook and the study’s senior author, warns of risks. Blood can block the bladder and cause kidney failure, infections, or the need for transfusions. Patients should never ignore it, as it may signal early bladder cancer.
The study does not advise stopping blood thinners. Instead, it calls for better management to avoid emergency visits and hospital stays. It aims to educate doctors and patients about this common side effect.
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