stroke risk

[Musetta]

Hi Everyone, Are there any overall statistics of stroke risk percentages of Atrial Fibrillation sufferers that are anti-coagulated? I've searched but have not discovered any figures.

[rosyG]

I think it reduces your stroke risk by 60%. Probably it's hard to find figures as individual stroke risk depends on lots of health factors.

[BobD Volunteer]

Rosy's figure sound about right to me. The point is that AF makes one 5 time (500%) more likely to have a stoke and the CHASDSVASC thing again increases that risk. Anticoagulation reduces the overall risk to something like twice the normal person's risk I think. Remember that we are talking risk here not likelyhood and all people have risk of stroke anyway. Everything we do affects our overall risk whether that is drinking too much. smoking, over eating. running or exercising too much or jumping out of perfectly good aeroplanes with an umbrella thing strapped to your back.

What I can tell you with confidence is that if we could manage to get ALL at risk patients in UK onto anticoagulation we could save about 8000 strokes a year. There are at least a million people in UK with AF and from recent random testing events (thankyou Rosy and co) and my event last year I would say that is probably nearer 1.25 million.

One must also factor in the possibility of a person being out of range with INR. I have heard of several AF patients who had stroke and on admission were found to be below therapeutic range .

[kernow43 in reply to BobD]

Re your last point Bob, being out of range with INR, does this not make the case for more frequent testing than the standard computer generated 14,30,42 etc days for retest as your INR becomes "stable."I would'nt be without my Coaguchek now, my local health authority has finally agreed to provide testing strips, although rationed to the surgery keeping records and prescribing the dose.

I test every week as a rule, so I will still have to buy my own strips for the extra, but as someone once said, every little helps, and for me the peace of mind is worth every penny.

Ray

[BobD Volunteer]

I agree in principle but have to point out that even if you test weekly you can still be out of range if you have that sort of body. I looked at my yellow book the other day and even with 84 day testing can see that only on about three occasions in the last five years have I been under (1.9. 1.8 etc) and on two been over 3.7, 3.1. But who knows what happens in between. If you worry about such things which I confess I don't then spend the money and rest easy or go over to NOACs.

Bob

[MarkS in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob,

I find with weekly testing I can see a trend, so my INR might creep up to the upper or lower ends (i.e. 2.8 or 2.2), then I just immediately adjust my dose by 0.5mg and it slowly reverts back to where it should be (i.e. 2.5). If I tested every 84 days it would be well over or under by the time any action was taken.

But from what I can see of your readings, assuming you test 5 times a year, you are in range about 90% of the time (and the range for good protection is actually 1.8-3.5). That's excellent control and actually gives you better protection than the NOACs.

I only test though a blood draw every 6-9 months purely for calibration purposes of my coaguchek. So it cuts the time I have to hang around the surgery.

Cheers

Mark

[BobD Volunteer in reply to MarkS]

Interesting

[DukesMam]

Thanks for asking the question, Musetta. Very interesting, and very informative replies.