Glossary

An alphabetized list of the technical words, terms, and acronyms used on this website.

Anticoagulant

A medication that prevents or slows the formation of blood clots.

Anticoagulation

The process of preventing coagulation and the formation of blood clots.

Clotting

The process by which blood thickens to create a solid mass.

Coagulation

The process of a liquid becoming thicker or solid. When this happens in the blood, the blood forms clots.

Coagulometer

A device that measures the level of blood coagulation.

DOAC

Direct oral anticoagulant. Sometimes also referred to a NOACs, this type of medication also slows blood clotting but does not act on vitamin K.

INR

International normalized ratio. This is the most common method of measuring to what extend blood clotting is slowed. For example, in a patient with an INR of 2.0, it takes twice as long for the blood to clot compared with a person who is not taking an anticoagulant (and has an INR of 1.0).

NOAC

Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant. Sometimes also referred to as DOACs, this type of medication also slows blood clotting but does not act on vitamin K.

Quick value

The Quick value is stated as a percentage (normal Quick value range: 70–130%) and is opposite to the INR in that a high percentage is equivalent to a low INR, and vice versa.

Therapeutic range

This is your personal target INR range. Your doctor will determine your therapeutic range based on the reason you are being prescribed anticoagulants. Your INR should not be higher or lower than this range.

Thrombosis

The medical term for the presence of a blood clot within a blood vessel.

Vitamin K

A vitamin found in food and activated by your digestive system. It is an important component used by the body to form blood clots.

VKA

Vitamin K antagonist. This is a medication that inhibits vitamin K, thereby slowing the formation of blood clots.

Warfarin

The generic or common term for a family of vitamin K antagonists. Its common brand name is Coumadin.