Plavix stent
Common Questions and Answers about Plavix stent
plavix
I have a drug eluting stent implanted in 2006. I have now been on Plavix and aspirin for over three years. The cardiologist says I will be on it for "life". If the use of Plavix and aspirin can be eliminated after 2 to 4 months of the implantation of a bare metal stent, why can't Plavix and aspirin be eliminated after a year? At what point does the drug eluting process stop so that the drug eluting stent becaomes the same as a bare metal stent?
m betting that the doctor is believing the danger of the anti-clotting properties of Plavix trump the danger of the stent clogging up. If I were offered the option, I would go with withdrawing the Plavix in a New York Minute. As an explanation, I was taking Plavix after stent work when I experienced a total bowel obstruction, and had to have numerous transfusions as as my blood wouldn't clot. Surgery and Plavix just don't mix.
If you had a drug eluting stent put in, I would say that you should stay on it for at least a year, maybe two. Genereally, the longer you stay on it the better.
Aspirin and Plavix (dual therapy) is recommended up to about a year after a stent(s) implant to help prevent any clots from forming at the site of the implant. Circumstances may exist that continued plavix medication may be prescribed for longer periods of time.
Structual collapse of a stent would indicate an improper size or defect. I discontinued plavix after year, and I have never heard of plavix associated with a collapsed stent! There may be a misunderstanding.
(This time bare metal stent)
My husband almost lost his life by going off of plavix and aspirin one year after his first stent. He went without Plavix and aspirin for 7 days. I can only imagine how much pain you are in. I would really think about the risks. From our past experience I would say it is very, very risky. Late stent thrombosis may happen rarely but it certainly does happen.
Good luck to you and your wife.
P.
What kind of stent do you have? Medicated or non-medicated? My husband had his first heart attack at age 49. He had 4 stents put in. He was on Plavix for a year - then his cardio took him off. 5 months later he had another heart attack. He is doing fine, but they are now telling us that he will probably be on Plavix for the rest of this life. That is fine with us - I would hate to worry about another clot forming. All of his stents are the medicated ones.
I was on plavix for 18 months for my first stent and it never formed clots, but I believe there have been cases where it has happened. IF clots are going to form, they are usually very quickly as the plavix wears off. You don't have to ween off plavix, you simply stop it. It isn't a medication that affects your metabolism or mental state.
Is it your general Doctor or Cardiologist who has stopped the medication? In the UK we are told we will be on Plavix 2-3 years or even possibly life.
I had angioplasty in 2001 and had a stent implant. My cardiologist prescribed Plavix and 81 mg aspirin daily among the other medications (beta blocker, ACE inhibitor, statin). I have recently moved to a new city and have not found a new cardiologist yet but family physician suggested that Plavix could be discontinued as the guidelines have changed and no long recommended after 12 months post stent implant.
Suggestions please?
After a year there is no evidence to suggest plavix has any benefits as the stent is well embedded in the artery lining by then. However, this is related directly to benefits affecting stents, because both plavix and aspirin will continue to reduce clotting times in your blood as long as you take them. I am on plavix for life and not aspirin, because aspirin gave me too many gastric issues.
I have three drug eluting stents in the LAD, two non-drug eluting stents and three drug eluting stents in my RCA. I stayed on Plavix for 1.5 years after the last stent, and been off Plavix for over a year with no restinosis. I do exercise daily, take Vytorin, 81mg aspirin, and follow a healthy heart diet very carefully. So far, no problems with restenosis, but believe me, I think about it every day.
The good doctor from expert forum states Plavix is unnecessary and aspirin is sufficient. After a stent implant my cardiologist put me on Plavix and aspirin for a year...then dropped Plavix and continued with aspirin. There is some evidence that Plavix helps prevent restenosis with a drug eluding stent up to about a year.
There is a risk of excessive bleeding and that should be serious consideration when on anti-platelet medication, and the benefit, if any, don't outweigh the risk.
The generally accepted protocol for a drug eluding stent is plavix for a year or more with aspirin. Aspirin should be continued indefinitely.
There appears to be some problems with some individuals regarding restenosis with the DES. What is the underlying cause for the CHF? I assume it was ischemia (lack of blood flow) to heart cells, and that could be new blockages or partial blockages at the time of first event and has increased the blockage, arrhythmia, etc.
You can't. The only way to remove a stent would be to perform an endarterectomy on the vessel which is quite a high risk with coronary arteries. If the stent is holding the artery open, then this is not the cause of your problem.
Can you explain the breathing problem you have? and did you suffer a heart attack? when did you have the stent put in? what medication are you on?
If you have been put on plavix, this can cause breathing problems in some people but is very rare as a side effect.
Can a HX of small blood vessles ,smoking,and a high platlet count be helped by plavix treatment$
I am a postmenopausal woman age 50 years. I had an agioplasty with drug eluting stent (two stents were placed ) about 3 years back. I am a diabetic on metformin 1gm BD and hypothyroid with replacement therapy.
For last 3 years since my Angioplasty i am on Plavix 75 mg, aspirin 81 mg ,simva statin 20 mg, and a beta blocker bisoprolol 5mg .
Is it safe to continue with Plavix or should be discontinued?
The last thing you want, which is why your cardiologist is concerned, is atherosclerosis forming in the stent causing another blockage. Plavix has been shown to stop platelets sticking to the stent, due to its rough surface, and this stops a clot forming. However, there is little evidence to show that this is required after 12 months because you form a new smooth lining through the stent of healthy artery tissue. In the UK many patients are prescribed Plavix for 18 mths to be on the safe side.
The risk of thrombosis appears to be within a year using DES. Plavix medication is an attrempt reduce the risk of thrombosis with a stent implant. The risk/benefit is not completely settled according to the JACC 2008, and I don't know of any relevant information to the contrary.
So going off plavix may not be of any major concern. After my stent 7 years ago, I was on aspirin and plavix for one year. I continue on low dose of aspirin daily.
My husband has a pacemaker and 8 metal stents. He's been taking Coumadin and Plavix for the past 4-5 years since his last stent was put in. Recently he was rushed to the hospital with blood in his vomit and stools. They said he had last 60% of his blood and immediately preceeded to give him blood, total 9 pints. After much reading up on ulcers and his medicine's side-effects, we discovered that Plavix causes ulcers. He was bleeding from a huge ulcer in his stomach.
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