SAGES Magazine

THE SOUTH AFRICAN GASTROENTEROLOGY REVIEW 2022 | VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 3 | 35 ERCP | A GUIDE FOR NURSES AND ASSISTANTS | Re-printed with permission necessary. It takes at least 6 hours to work so this should be done the day before the procedure. Anticoagulant medications (Warfarin, DOAC’s eg Apixiban, Rivaroxaban, Clopidogrel) are prescribed for a wide variety of reasons, and stopping them carries a risk. Each endoscopy unit should have a protocol in place and international guidelines are available online. Most importantly, however, the patient may not know why they are taking anticoagulants, and so going through regular medication and when it was stopped is vital when admitting the patient. 9