Can medications and supplements contribute to easy bruising?

Some medicines may lead to easy bruising by lowering the blood's ability to clot. Examples include:

1. Aspirin.
2. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).
3. Naproxen sodium (Aleve).
4. Anticoagulant medicines, such as warfarin (Jantoven), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), edoxaban (Savaysa) and heparin. These medicines sometimes are called blood-thinners.
5. Anti-platelet agents, such as clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel (Effient) and ticagrelor (Brilinta).

Some antibiotics and antidepressants also may cause problems with blood clotting. In people who take medicine that lowers the blood's ability to clot, bleeding from damage to small blood vessels near the skin's surface might take longer than usual to stop. This allows enough blood to leak out under the skin to cause a bruise.

Medicines called corticosteroids thin the skin, and that makes it easier to bruise too. Certain dietary supplements, such as ginkgo biloba, also can raise the risk of bruising due to a blood-thinning effect.

If you notice that you're bruising easily, don't stop taking your medicines. Talk with your healthcare professional about your concerns. Also, tell your healthcare professional about any supplements you take. That's especially important if you're taking a supplement when you're also taking a blood-thinning medicine. Your healthcare professional might tell you not to take certain supplements or other medicines that you can buy without a prescription.