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News
Dengue patients already on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) or oral anticoagulants (OAC) face dramatically higher rates of major bleeding compared to those on no antithrombotic therapy. A new study found bleeding rates as high as 13% within 30 days for OAC patients. Even single antiplatelet therapy users showed slower platelet recovery, flagging them as a clinically vulnerable group.
For patients already on blood-thinning medications, a dengue diagnosis can turn dangerous fast. A new observational study out of Taiwan found that dengue patients on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) or oral anticoagulants (OAC) had significantly higher rates of major bleeding within days of diagnosis compared to those on no antithrombotic therapy (ATT). The findings, published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, highlight a clinically vulnerable population that warrants closer monitoring.
The retrospective study analyzed over 1,600 dengue patients from 2015–2022, grouping them by pre-existing ATT status. Patients on DAPT or OAC were older and already experiencing more severe dengue manifestations — a combination that amplified bleeding risk. Even patients on single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) showed slower platelet recovery compared to those on no therapy.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Dengue is a global health burden, and as populations age, more patients will be on long-term antithrombotic therapy. Clinicians managing dengue in these patients need to carefully weigh bleeding risks — there's no one-size-fits-all approach to continuing or pausing these medications during acute illness.
