Blood Thinner Stop Date Calculator

It depends on the drug, the bleeding risk of the operation, and your kidney function. As a rough guide: DOACs like apixaban, rivaroxaban and edoxaban are usually stopped about 1 day before (low bleeding-risk surgery) to 2 days before (higher bleeding risk); warfarin about 5 days before with INR checks; clopidogrel about 5–7 days before. Your team gives you the exact day — never stop a blood thinner on your own.

Sometimes. If your clot risk is high (for example certain mechanical heart valves, recent clots or some atrial fibrillation), your team may 'bridge' the gap with short-acting heparin injections while the warfarin is stopped. Most DOAC patients don't need bridging because those drugs wear off quickly. This is decided individually — ask your team.

Be very careful. Stopping antiplatelet medicine too soon after a coronary stent can cause a dangerous clot in the stent. Never stop these on your own — it must be coordinated between your surgeon and cardiologist, and surgery is sometimes delayed until it's safe. This calculator is a guide only and does not apply to recent stents.

Usually once the risk of bleeding has settled — often the evening of surgery or the next day for lower-risk procedures, and later after major surgery. DOACs reach full effect within hours, so they're restarted carefully; warfarin takes days to work again. Your team tells you exactly when and at what dose.