New Jersey families who have loved ones living in a nursing home may not be happy to learn that staff may not be properly administering anticoagulants. These anticoagulants, such as Coumadin and Warfarin, are quite deadly according to many medical experts. However, nursing home residents are often not properly monitored for adverse medical events once they are given them.
Anticoagulants reduce the risk of stroke in patients that have blood or heart conditions that could cause the formation of blood clots. However, the anticoagulants prevent the patient’s body from being able to clot in the event the patient suffers internal bleeding. The medication can also be deadly if the patient is given an insufficient dose or an excessive dose. While the anticoagulants can prolong a patient’s life, there are patients who suffer adverse effects when they are not properly monitored after being given the medication.
According to a study from 2007, there are an estimated 34,000 casualties from medical errors involving anticoagulants like Coumadin or Warfarin each year. In fact, at least one state has found that anticoagulant medication is the most likely drug to be involved in a medication error. While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is responsible for regulating nursing homes, very little attention is shown towards anticoagulants.
When a family chooses a nursing home for their elderly loved one, they expect their loved one to receive proper care. While many nursing home facilities do everything they can to keep their residents happy and healthy, others fail to do so. A family whose relative has been harmed due to nursing home negligence might want to meet with an attorney to see what options they might have.
