If you’re looking for a medical bracelet for your heart condition, you’ll need to make some decisions on what to engrave … from your medical condition, to anticoagulant medication, to implanted devices, to personal details. It can feel a little challenging, especially if you’re worried that all the details may not fit. But don’t worry, we can guide you through it.

Lots of customers feel that they are well supported by a simple straightforward approach. They tend to focus on one message only, and wear it on a standard message wristband that is comfortable and washable.

We have options for conditions:

• Atrial Fibrillation

Implanted devices:

• Pacemaker
• ICD

Or anticoagulant medications:

• On Anticoagulant
• On Apixaban
• On Clopidogrel
• On Edoxaban
• On Heparin
• On Methotrexate
• On Rivaroxaban
• On Warfarin

Most customers go with a simple engraving option like this on our wristbands above, our hidden message wristbands, or a custom engraved bracelet.

If you opt for custom engraving, you’ll have the chance to include a more specific medical condition, medication details, or personal information like your name or emergency contact number. To give you a bit of help in choosing your custom engraving … we’ve analysed the engraving details of thousands of medical bracelets, and here’s what we learned:

1. Most people explain they are taking anticoagulants. 

As medical emergencies can involve bleeding (from surgery or injury), it is critical for emergency responders to know that you are on anticoagulants. This is by far the most common engraving detail for heart conditions … much more than the condition itself, or any implant details.

How do they refer to it? They usually use a simple message like “On Anticoagulant” or “Blood Thinners” as it’s more important for first responders to know that you are taking them in general (rather than the specific medication you are taking).

Where people mention the specific medication, it is most common to use the generic name for it. In fact, it’s about 4 times more common to use the generic name (e.g. Apixaban, Rivaroxaban, Clopidogrel, Warfarin, Edoxaban or Dabigatran) rather than the branded name (e.g. Eliquis, Xarelto, Plavix, Coumadin, Lixiana, or Pradaxa). Using the generic name gives you a little more flexibility if you were to take a different branded option in the same drug family. But in terms of meaning, either brand names or generic would be fine.

2. It’s helpful to include details of any implanted device. 

Heart conditions can come in different forms, but many require a pacemaker or ICD. A pacemaker is a small electrical device used to control an irregular heartbeat. An ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) is similar, and uses electrical shocks to regulate heartbeats. If you have one fitted, it’s important to communicate this, as you shouldn’t have an MRI. So, if you’re in a serious accident or emergency, the doctors will need to know this straight away.

It's also a good idea to let medical professionals know if you have any stents fitted.

We also see engraving details included for heart monitors and micro cardio bridges as well. But pacemakers, S-ICD, or ICD are by far the most common.

3. Atrial Fibrillation is the most common medical condition to include. 

We have seen a long list of very specific heart conditions engraved over the years. But the most common (by far) is AFIB, or atrial fibrillation. This is followed by a straightforward wording of “heart disease”.

Although it is helpful to have the exact condition or procedure explained (if you have the engraving space!) most people go with a general description instead, or focus on anticoagulants and implanted devices.

4. Extra engraving space? Add your name or emergency contact. 

Engraving your name or a phone number onto your medical bracelet gives peace of mind that your loved ones will be contacted in an emergency. These two types of information are much more common than other details such as date of birth, cardiac specialist, or NHS number.

According to our statistics, 19% of our customers have included their name and 27% have included a phone number on their medical bracelet.

In conclusion, most people with a heart condition include the fact that they are taking anticoagulants, whether they have an implanted device, and then their name or phone number. Hopefully this gives you a good baseline to decide on the engraving for your medical bracelet. Your doctor will be a good sounding board to help prioritise specific details, and if you have any questions about the engraving space or the best style of bracelet for you, just drop us a line on hello@butlerandgrace.co

We hope you've found this blog helpful. To stay up to date with the latest news and tips on medical jewellery, subscribe to our newsletter today! You'll be the first to see new medical alert jewellery, tips to get you outside and active, and exclusive discounts. Plus, you'll score a FREE digital wallet card for your emergency contacts.