Question regarding effectiveness of Warfarin

[kmps]

I am new to writing something but have visited the site many times.

I am a women in late 70's Diagnosed with paroxysmal afib about two years ago. At that time I was having an ablation due to tachycardia. The EP doc tried to scare when it saw it during the procedure. Went away for a couple of months Have a loop recorder in and this past month showed 460 true afib events in 23 days...shortest was 11 seconds and longest was 48 minutes. I am on Warfarin (cause I can tolerate it).

Can someone tell me does warfarin really provide over 75% protection against a stroke? Thanks

[BobD Volunteer]

I think that a little simplistic to be honest. AF makes us five times more at risk of stroke than people without it. Anticoagulation reduces that by 70% or so . By my ancient maths 70 % of 500 % is 350% so that means we are still one and a half times more at risk. Works for me! Anybody else like to comment/correct me? (That wasn't a challenge by the way .lol 😁)

[Luisa1987 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob, i've recently been put on warfarin after 2 years on rivoroxaban but had a tia then was switched to apixaban for 2 years but in november i had blood clot in my brachial artery in my left arm and the consultant i saw said they obviously hadn't being doing the job so said he wanted me on warfarin as it was a tried and tested medication that had been around for donkeys years! I said to him it is so inconvenient having to go for inr checks all the time and he asked if i wanted convenience or safety! so i'm on warfarin. Pre op next week before 2nd ablation soon after.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Luisa1987]

I've been on warfarin now for 15 plus years with zero problems. The secret is to make your warfarin intake match your diet not try messing with diet. The amount you take is of no importance only the resulting INR. The only times I have been out of range have been when I had different drugs for other things , such as antibiotics and didn't get extra checks done.

[Luisa1987 in reply to BobD]

i was rushed in in an ambulane with excruiating pain in my arm that went white and freezing cold. i had op the day after to remove it which was under local anesthetic but i felt it!! it was dire!

[Hidden]

All to scientific for my brain .......... prefer to deal in facts, was diagnosed with AF in Jan 2010. I am now 75. I have been on Warfarin for 10 years, I don't even think in 'What if' terms - life just is. Goes on and keeps going on. In that time I have missed doses and twice I have had medical procedures requiring me to come off Warfarin for 6 days each time prior to the procedure, one of which was a knee replacement ..... it simply just works. I've never ever even considered I'd have a stroke issue.

John

[beardy_chris]

Assessing and describing risk is difficult - even for the experts. Anti-coagulation reduces your risk considerably compared with no anti-coagulation - perhaps that is all we need to know?

[MarkS]

Warfarin is effective but you do need to monitor your INR to get the most out of it. That means keeping your INR in your recommended range (probably 2-3) for t least 75% of the time. Ideally that means self-testing using something like a Coaguchek monitor and then making slight changes to your dose.