Stroke risk

[Timmo50]

Reading some of this forum has made me quite worried about stroke risk.

My EP seems confident that I am ok on aspirin and I have taken the online stroke risk test and I come out zero.

Bot the opinion on here seems to be that we all should be on warfarin, Is this the case or does my age (50) and otherwise good health make me less susceptible?

[BobD Volunteer]

Hi Timmo, at 50 with no other health issues and a Chads2 score of 0 then you don't need anticoagulation unless it is required for an ablation or similar procedure. What puzzles me is why he suggests aspirin as this has no value in stroke prevention for patients with AF yet can still give you stomach problems.and a risk of bleeding. Aspirin is an anti-platelet drug and could be called a blood thinner but is not an anticoagulant like warfarin or some of the novel drugs like pradaxa.

Hope that helps.

BobD

[jennydog]

I was prescribed aspirin. After 2 weeks my stomach felt like a huge rigid lump. This was a stomach that had never caused any previous trouble even when I'd taken aspirin for headaches. I am now on clopidogrel and ranitidine which prepares the stomach by reducing acid production. I'm not sure any of this is doing any good. I think everyone should treat aspirin with great care as it can cause awful problems.

[beano2013]

My understanding is that aspirin is non effective against a stroke and only warfarin or the new drug recently out are effective. Dismissed the new drug as I didn't feel it had been tested long enough and some nasty side effects, plus no antidote if your INR too high/in accident etc ., Opted to buy INR testing machine £299. No probs and one less hospital,clinic appointment to think of. Surgery give prescription for everything else. Best of luck. Beano2013

[steve60]

Hi there, I am on asprin as I am informed that it is a blood thinner which in turn helps prevent clotting which is the main cause of stroke if AF. It does'nt prevent stroke but the symptoms of it

[Timmo50]

Hi, and thanks for the answers, I will ask at my next appointment. To be honest I have been on aspirin since being discharged from hospital when my AF was diagnosed 6 years ago. And am wondering wether my EP even knows I take it.