Plavix and atrial fibrillation
Common Questions and Answers about Plavix and atrial fibrillation
plavix
Did the doctor mention Atrial Fibrillation? If not, I'm not sure why the Plavix was prescribed. The aspirin is the fist level/state of protection against clots. If the patient has a number of risk factors, you have at least two: age and irregular heartbeat, an anticoagulant is often prescribed. I think Plavix may be easier to manage that is an anticoagulant (Coumadin).
However, pooled data from randomized trials show that coumadin reduces the risk of stroke from 4.5 percent to 1.4 percent per year in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack.
There is currently no data whatsoever, showing benefit of plavix in stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. The two current standards of care are aspirin and coumadin...with the later being undoubtably more effective in patients that can tolerae it. Alot of people have peripheral neuropathy and do perfectly well without falls. I usually prefer coumadin unless there is a definite risk. Any regimen that would attempt to use plavix, should at least include aspirin sine it is proven.
Each medication has its own specific indications. For example, a patient who has atrial fibrillation and also a recently placed coronary stent, would have good reasons to be on both warfarin and plavix.
(2006 and 2008)
It was the General Cardio in a group here that ordered the Event Monitoring that linked to the DX of Atrial flutters. It was she (Cardio M.D.) that told me to get off the Plavix and take 150mg x 2 a day of Pradaxa. I asked about the lower dose and was told that the lower dose is ONLY for those in renal failure. Calling Pradaxa Mfg. they have no info as/no studies were done on folks that need to be on Plavix and need also blood thinners.
Thank you for the reply. When I made a connection between my atrial fibrillation episodes and NSAID's, I asked my cardiologist about it. She was skeptical, to say the least.
I find it interesting that studies have overwhelmingly proven this correlation in Great Britain and Denmark, yet no similar studies have apparently been funded in the U.S. Could Big Pharma be suppressing this information in the interest of sales of NSAID's?
For patients on anticoagulants, the INR typically should be between 2.0 and 3.0 for patients with atrial fibrillation, or between 3.0 and 4.0 for patients with mechanical heart valves. However, the ideal INR must be individualized for each patient.
An INR can be too high; a number greater than 4.0 may indicate that blood is clotting too slowly, creating a risk of uncontrolled bleeding. An INR less than 2.0 may not provide
adequate protection from clotting.
The so-called blood thinner, also called an anti-coagulant are terms used interchangeably and the med in this context is to stop platelet formation...the cells in blood plasma from forming clots. They are most used in those who are at risk for heart attack, stroke, or aneurisms. A "blood thinner" can be composed of several different chemical formations. The most common blood thinner, and most often used is aspirin, taken in doses of 81mg per day, essentially one baby aspirin.
I have a long history of occassional palpitations (PACs), which have become more frequent and occur most days in recent months, also with occasional episodes of atrial fibrillation. My EKG is normal. My recent annual echo shows, for the first time, a finding of mild to moderate anteroseptal and mild mid-anterior hypokinesis. EF is 72%, other measures are within normal, except mild LAE (4.1 cm) and mild MR, TR, PR regurgitation.
Thanks for the information. EKG did show atrial fibrillation each time. Echo and stress tests were normal. Cholesterol is well within normal ranges. I do snore and sometimes wake myself up, but I usually sleep fairly well. I get up at least once in the night to use the bathroom. With these uncomfortable epidsodes of pounding/racing heart, I have hightened anxiety and almost hesitant to go to bed, which is of course making me more tired.
I am 28 years old and otherwise a healthy individual. Last April I woke up one day with what I believe to have been atrial fibrillation, but by the time the EMT's arrived, I had converted. The doctor's at the hospital told me not to sweat it. I then had about two more episodes of atrial fibrillation after binge drinking the night before, but converted on my own. I did not think there was much of a problem until about a month and a half ago when I started to get PVC's every night.
Is there any way of distinguishing between ventricular and atrial fibrillation from the symptoms? The holter does not catch the arrhythmia due to sporadic episodes.
You ask if PACs (and PAC couplets) may initiate atrial fibrillation or SVT. As atrial fibrillation and SVT both are caused by atrial ectopic activity, the answer is yes, atrial fibrillation and SVT starts with a PAC. However, almost every person alive have PACs, meaning that most people with PACs will never have atrial fibrillation.
For some insight, Atrial Fibrillation induces an abnormal heart rhythm (irregular, slow, fast, skipped beats) and can affect almost anyone. Although it is linked to several cardiac conditions, Artial Fibrillation can also occur in otherwise normal hearts. The risk of Atrial Fibrillation increases significantly with age.
s only one situation where pacemakers play an important role in patients with atrial fibrillation, and that is in patients who have both atrial fibrillation and they have slow heart rhythms. That's a condition that's referred to as tachy-brady syndrome.
There are some patients that will go into atrial fibrillation for a period of time. The atrial fibrillation will stop and then their underlying heart rate is extremely slow.
There are many thousands of causes for this symptoms, one of which (by no means tha most common) is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a disorganized chaotic activity in the atrial tissues, and is significant because if untreated can lead to strokes. Only an EKG during an event, or more likely an event recorder can tell if atrial fibrillation is causing one's palpitations.
And you have a fast heart rate when you are in atrial fibrillation and a slow heart rate when you are not in atrial fibrillation. This is called tachy-brady syndrome.
You had an AV node ablation procedure that destroyed the AV node in your heart.
You have a problem with the natural pacemaker of the heart (AV or SA node).
You take a medicine for atrial fibrillation that slows your heart rate too much.
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