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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffDepending on your treatment plan for antiphospholipid syndrome, there are additional steps you can take to protect your health.
If you take anticoagulants
If your antiphospholipid syndrome requires that you take anticoagulant medication, take extra precautions to keep from injuring yourself and to avoid bleeding. Follow these suggestions:
- Avoid playing contact sports or engaging in other activities that could be dangerous or could cause you to fall.
- Use a softer toothbrush and waxed floss.
- Shave with an electric razor.
- Take extra care when using knives, scissors and other sharp tools.
Certain foods and medications may affect how well your anticoagulants work. Ask your doctor for guidance about:
-
Safe dietary choices. Vitamin K can lessen the effectiveness of warfarin. It's important to be consistent in how much vitamin K you get daily. The average daily allowance of vitamin K for adult men is 120 micrograms (mcg). For adult women, it's 90 mcg. While eating small amounts of foods that are rich in vitamin K shouldn't cause a problem, avoid eating large amounts of kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, parsley, collard greens, mustard greens and chard.
On the other hand, cranberry juice and alcohol may dangerously increase warfarin's blood-thinning effect. Ask your doctor for advice about limiting or avoiding your intake of these drinks.
- Safe medications and dietary supplements. Certain medicines, vitamins and herbal products may interact dangerously with warfarin. Those most likely to cause problems include over-the-counter pain relievers, cold medicines, stomach remedies or multivitamins, as well as garlic, ginkgo and green tea products.
If you don't take anticoagulants
If you have antiphospholipid antibodies but do not take anticoagulant medication, take these precautions:
- Tell any doctors performing your medical care that you have antiphospholipid antibodies.
- Ask your health care providers to take measures to help prevent deep vein thrombosis if you are immobilized due to surgery or other medical reasons.
- Don't smoke.
- Take steps, such as reducing your cholesterol, to help prevent heart attack and stroke.
- Donadini MP, et al. Antiphospholipid syndrome: A challenging hypercoagulable state with systemic manifestations. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2010;24:669.
- Erkan D, et al. Antiphospholipid syndrome. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1807/0.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Bermas BL, et al. Pathogenesis of the antiphospholipid syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Bermas BL, et al. Treatment of the antiphospholipid syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Blood thinner pills: Your guide to using them safely. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/btpills.htm. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Long BR, et al. The role of antiphospholipid syndrome in cardiovascular disease. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2008;22:79.
- Bermas BL, et al. Clinical manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Antiphospholipid syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/antiphosphlipid/antiphospholipid.htm. Accessed Feb. 22, 2011.
- Vitamin K. The National Academies Press. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10026&page=162. Accessed Feb. 28, 2011.
- Pruthi RK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 27, 2011.
- Giannakopoulos B, et al. How we diagnose the antiphospholipid syndrome. Blood. 2009;113:985.
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