Blood Thinners at 65

[Bairns36]

I take bisoprolol and flecanide to prevent PAF and touch wood haven’t had an event for 18 months. Spoke to my doctor yesterday regarding weight gain while on the tablets. During the conversation he said I would probably have to go on a anti coagulant next year when I reach 65. Just wonder if this is standard practice or if they take other things into account before prescribing.

[Hidden]

I've had struggles with weight on same medications. This is despite watching my diet and attending the gym. I've been on anticoagulants since diagnosis aged 57. Most of us are on anticoagulants due to AF increasing risk of stroke .

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

This is the rubric which should pave the way for the anticoagulation decision. The point system of the Chads2 Vasc calculation is most helpful to understand. clincalc.com/cardiology/str...

It is also thought that even if you are no longer having episodes of AFib after successful ablation, there still exists conditions in the atria that are increasing risk for clot formation. So it is the other risk factors....age, diabetes, hypertension, previous stroke, etc that run the decision vs the amount of AFib.

[Finvola]

Fairly standard practice but other factors may be taken into account in specific cases - eg whether or not there already exists a bleeding risk. I take the same drugs as you but have had no problems with weight - and no AF in over 3 years.

The link below will explain the CHADSVASC scoring system for stroke risk and you will see that age is one of the risks which increases slightly at the magic age of 65.

Many of us take Warfarin and many take the new NOAC/DOAC's which need only annual blood tests.

mdcalc.com/chads2-score-atr...

chadsvasc.org/

Sorry - my iPad made a mess of the links - should work now!

[Hidden]

Hello Bairns, great to hear that you are doing well with your current medication and hopefully, you will soon get the weight problems under control. As others have said, anticoagulants are prescribed for men once they reach 65 because thats when they hit a minimum of 1 on the chadsvasc score . Of course, no one can force you to go on the medication but not many want to take the risk of having a life changing stroke.

I'm sure you are aware of the alternatives to Warfarin which offer more freedom, in terms of diet and freedom from regular (other than annual) blood tests. I have been in sinus rhythm around the same time as you, but having seen the consequences of a serious stroke, I would never stop taking my anticoagulant and my Chads score is also 1.

So I guess in answer to your question, yes, it is standard practice, but there may be other health factors as we age, that make it even more important to be properly anticoagulated.

[wilsond in reply to Hidden]

I have just gone on anticoagulant and feel much happier and protected,and I'm only 58.

I think the benefits far outweigh any fears you may have.

[Bairns36]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. All your valuable information is greatly appreciated

[secondtry]

Check out the famous York Cardiology short videos, I believe there was a good one on anti-coags, he's so good at explaining things clearly which makes our lives less stressful.

[TAK33 in reply to secondtry]

Appreciate you please share the lnk. Thank you.

[secondtry in reply to TAK33]

youtube.com/watch?v=5Zg3gvA...(Not working as expected?)

[TAK33 in reply to secondtry]

Thank you Secondtry.

[Hidden]

If you're just about to embark on anticoagulants, then do note that they do not thin the blood. Blood Thinner is a term that is misused and one that worried me a lot until I found out on this forum that they do not thin your blood.

There's a good NHS web page explaining how Warfarin, and possibly the new NOACS work and how they do not thin the blood.

[wilsond in reply to Hidden]

Yes they make the blood less prone to "sticking together" as in an injury ,interrupting the responses and interfering with the clotting signals.

[Hidden in reply to wilsond]

Yes, the knickname ought to be something like "clot-inhibitors" or "anti-clotters", whatever.

[BobD Volunteer]

Thank you Koll!!!!

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

You can stop spinning now Bob!

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

I'm going to start charging soon 😀

[CDreamer]

Not only standard practice but essential practice I would say.

[Polski]

Why wait until you are 65? Though your risk is low now, as you are apparently not having bouts of AF, there is still a risk there - It doesn't just suddenly jump at 65, but the research is based on looking at people below 65 as compared with those above. If AF starts happening again, I would recommend asking for it right away.