can you take a blood thinner at onset of afib instead of always?

[razorgirl]

Can I take a blood thinner at onset of afib instead of always on the drug?

[Flaka]

I would like to know that too. I read an article that said you could but showed it to my Cardiologist and he said there hasn't been enough research on it and that I should continue my twice a day 150mg Pradaxa.

[razorgirl in reply to Flaka]

No one seems to really know. One doc. said it doesn't work that way...meaning taking it at onset.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Razorgirl

The problem to some extent might be in your question, "at the onset"

You could be in AF and not know it, so whilst it's tempting to think that the clots will only form when you are in AF, the challenge is that you probably don't know when you are in or out of it. Certainly could have episodes at night and not know it.

It needs more research and I think this is going on, but nothing I am aware of supporting pill in pocket anti-coagulants yet.

Plus of course they are not blood thinners, they do not thin the blood, they are anti-coagulants, and they anti-coagulate you..... We'll get this horridly incorrect terminology off the medics soon and persuade them to stop using it.

Be well

Ian

[CDreamer]

At our recent patient support meeting it was clearly stated that a stroke due to the heart throwing a clot could happen up to 1 month after an AF episode.

If you are under 65, score 0 on Chads then I am not sure I would want to be on ACs for life but I now score 2 so no doubts now that I need to be - risk:benefit.

Not taking ACs if you have AF and are older is a bit like Russian roulette as the outcomes of stroke are SO devastating and you can be irreversible. My choice is to now take ACs for life, although a few years ago I really didn’t want to do that, I have been convinced by the evidence.

A friend of mine has very recently suffered quite a devasting stroke, she had AF unknowingly and not on ACs. It was a huge shock to her and her husband, especially as she knows that I and 2 other friends have AF.

2 certaintities in life - death and taxes - but I would rather not have a stroke and have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life.

Only you can decide which is right for you, but talk to your doctor, assess the risks and choose positively.

[UScore]

This question has come up before, and yeah the answer has always been that you have to take them all the time. If you need to be on anti-coagulants you need to take them every day, for all the reasons above.

I do wonder if there is any merit of taking them on the onset (and for a while afterwards maybe) if you have a Chads score of 0 (or even 1), and your episodes are few and far between (and obvious)?

[razorgirl in reply to UScore]

Well chad score is 4 so that is not good. Episodes every 2 to 3 yrs. but on heart med. that has worked but not without other problems caused by the med. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[beardy_chris]

It has been suggested that it isn't necessarily the AFib that causes strokes but it may be one of a number of factors leading to an increased stroke risk. Sanjay Gupta (York Cardiology) has a video on YouTube discussing this. I tried to post a link but it didn't work

[secondtry]

My cardio prescribed me a NOAC PIP as I am 64, CHADS 0, stable no known AF episodes on Flecainide only. I think he said (need to check on my file) take them if your AF lasts longer than 9 hrs. He also said even when I get to 65 he won't put me on ACs automatically. I am not complacent and have adopted many lifestyle/diet changes to reduce any stroke risk and am not aware of any other factors that may cause a stroke as counted by the medics. Its a personal decision to reach agreement within the family. I hope I am being balanced & sensible about this and not cavalier but we will never know for sure, as strokes can be caused by many things and no doubt issues with ACs will also reveal themselves in due course. Good luck with your decision.

[li17]

I'm 37, not on any daily meds, and not taking NOAC on a daily basis. EP said because my score is 0, I don't need a blood thinner, and aspirin is optional, so I don't take aspirin either.

I had four episodes in the first three months. The first two I went to ER, they only gave me aspirin and after 8 hours I converted myself. Then I started Xarelto, so in my 3rd episode, I was covered by Xarelto. Then after two weeks, I stopped it. Then 18 days later, I had the 4th episode, and I took a Xarelto immediately and continued it for two weeks, then stopped. Since then, I haven't had an episode for three months (knock on wood, hopefully I won't have another one forever), and I put flecainide, xarelto and propranolol in my wallet wherever I go.