Blood thinners

[Barbieeg]

I’m a newbie too. I had 2 stents in December 2019. I took part in a trial to see if anything’ was different after being prescribed a blood thinner and an adjustment to the meds I was already on. Was told that I only needed to take blood thinner for 1 year. Anybody know why? Thanks

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

The majority of stents used are drug eluting stents which are coated with medication that is slowly released (eluted) to help prevent the growth of scar tissue in the artery lining. This helps the artery remain smooth and open, ensuring good blood flow.People who have drug-eluting stents need to take medications, such as clopidogrel or ticagrelor, to reduce the risk of stent clotting for at least one year after the stent is inserted. This is normally for 1 year, after which the risk of scar tissue is considered to be very small, although the medication can sometimes be prescribed for up to 3 years.

For most people with bare-metal stents, additional anti-clotting medication is only recommended for one month after stent placement.

[Barbieeg in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Thank you