Patients to benefit from drug to tackle blood clots

SCOTTISH patients are set to be among the first in Europe to benefit from a treatment to tackle potentially fatal blood clots in the lungs.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved the use of the drug Xarelto in efforts to help the thousands of people affected by the deadly clots each year. Health campaigners welcomed the decision, which should mean many patients will no longer need to use treatments such as the blood-thinning drug warfarin, which has side-effects.

Xarelto has been accepted for the treatment of patients who have suffered from a pulmonary embolism, and to help prevent people suffering further episodes of the condition and deep vein thrombosis.

Dr Adrian Brady, at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said: “With the new drug, there is no need for frequent clinic visits and blood tests, nor strict diet restrictions and regimes.”