Many older adults take blood thinner medications for a variety of medical conditions, such as an irregular heartbeat. According to a new study conducted in Denmark, if your aging relative is using a blood thinner and experiences gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, it may be wise to have them evaluated for colon cancer.
Link Between Blood Thinners and Colon Cancer
The Danish study involved more than 125,000 people who atrial fibrillation (a-fib), which is a condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly. The study was published in the European Heart Journal. They discovered that between 4 and 8 percent of people taking blood thinners who had bleeding in their GI tract were diagnosed with colon cancer. In comparison, only 1 percent of those who did not have bleeding. These results equate to having an 11 to 24 times greater chance of developing colon cancer.
The researchers suggest that their findings indicate a need to keep a closer eye on people who have GI bleeding, whether or not they are taking blood thinners. More in depth examination should be conducted, rather than simply dismissing the bleed as a side effect of the drugs.
Other Risk Factors for Colon Cancer
In addition to paying attention to gastrointestinal bleeding, there are other risk factors that increase the chances of your aging relative developing colon cancer. Some of the risk factors are:
- Age: The majority of people who are diagnosed with colon cancer are diagnosed after the age of 50, so simply getting older increases the risk for the disease.
- Race: African Americans get colon cancer more often than people of other races do.
- Health History: People who have had a history of colon cancer or benign polyps in the colon are more likely to get colon cancer.
- Certain Intestinal Conditions: Intestinal conditions that involve inflammation, like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, increase colon cancer risk.
- Family History: Having close relatives who have had colon cancer raises the risk, especially if more than one relative has had the disease.
- Lack of Exercise: People who live a sedentary lifestyle increase their chances of getting colon cancer.
- Obesity: Excess weight is also a risk factor. Being obese also makes dying from colon cancer more likely.
- Smoking: Smoking is also a risk factor for colon cancer.
- Diet: Eating a diet that contains low amounts of fiber and a lot of fat, which is typical in Western diets, could be at greater risk. Some research has also indicated that eating a lot of red meat and processed meat may also increase the risk.
If your aging relative has risk factors for colon cancer, senior care can help to reduce some of the risks. A senior care provider can help to improve the older adult’s diet by cooking meals that involve lots of fibrous vegetables and alternative protein sources, such as poultry and plant-based proteins. Senior care providers can also increase the amount of time your older family member spends being physically active by going for walks with them, encouraging them to do things around the house, or even driving them to an exercise class.
Sources
https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/news/20200207/for-patients-on-blood-thinners-gi-bleeding-may-signal-colon-cancer-study
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353669
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Billings, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
