Management of Dental Patients Taking Anticoagulants or Antiplatelet Drugs
Patients taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs can have a higher risk of bleeding complications following invasive dental procedures. Newer oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs available in the UK are being increasingly prescribed and so more patients taking them are presenting for dental treatment.
Guidance from the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP), Management of Dental Patients Taking Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Drugs, was published in 2015, and addresses the management of dental treatment for these patients. In line with SDCEP’s standard five-year guidance review period, the scheduled review of the guidance topic commenced in 2020. An updated version of this guidance was published in 2022.