Bloody thinners question: 6 months ago... - British Heart Fou...

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Bloody thinners question

Stevegee100 profile image
13 Replies

6 months ago i had a double bypass so Im taking clopidigrel but do i really still need to take asprin as well

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Stevegee100 profile image
Stevegee100
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13 Replies

No-one in here can answer that for you. It's a question to put to your cardiologist or GP who will have access to your medical records. However if you have had a heart related event such as a heart attack it seems common practice to prescribe two anti platelets such as aspirin and clopidogrel and then drop one after 12 months with the other taken indefinitely. So I take aspirin for life and dropped clopidogrel after 12 months. Others may be different according to clinical needs.

PadThaiNoodles profile image
PadThaiNoodles

Indeed, it depends on a lot of factors. I'm on warfarin and aspirin because I have a mechanical heart valve and a high stroke risk. I know the warfarin is for ever, and I think the aspirin is as well in my case.

BobbyCollins profile image
BobbyCollins

Hi Steve geeHope you are keeping well. I have never had a heart attack or stroke but have high blood pressure (now under control) and mild CAD. I was prescribed aspirin by cardiologist but couldn't tolerate them due to acid reflux. The GP prescribed Clopidigrel instead. I asked her recently if I could come off them (mainly because I wanted to take Lions Mane mushroom which makes me feel fantastic but can't be taken with anti platelets) she very emphatically said I can never come off them. I find this very strange as people who have had events seem to come off them eventually. Don't know if that helps you at all and would be interested in any other people's experiences.

Take care

Seal59 profile image
Seal59

My husband was prescribed both after his bypass. He had to take clopidogrel for a year and then continued with just the aspirin after that. I think there is a standard cocktail of drugs they issue after heart surgery.

MoretonCross profile image
MoretonCross in reply toSeal59

Not really, I had OHS last October and I wasn't prescribed clopidogrel. Just one aspirin daily plus other stuff. I had a tissue aortic valve replacement and two x CABG. No clopidogrel.

Survivor1952 profile image
Survivor1952

We are all different, no one here is qualified to comment on your medication, all we can do is comment on our own.

After my surgery I was on Ticagrelor for a year, I was also on aspirin daily which was started when I was in hospital. In my case the low dose aspirin is for the rest of my days on this Earth.

DWizza profile image
DWizza

Usually prescribed for 12 months , should say on your discharge notes if your prescribed it for 12 months 👍🏻.

Ron0325 profile image
Ron0325

Steve I am on Clopidegrel also , I was on aspirin as well to start with , but we found out I am allergic to Aspirin !! Anyway cardiology took me off aspirin and they are happy with me just being on the one anti platelet , been on the one only for 3 year after triple BP

Jedi14 profile image
Jedi14

What did the hospital say?

Digger0 profile image
Digger0

When I had my titanium patches for my atrial septal defect I was on both asprin and Clopidogrel afterwards. The asprin was for 3 months (if I remember correctly) and the clopidogrel for 6 :)

HamishBoxer profile image
HamishBoxer

I would ask the consultant, I am on Apixaban and not to take Asprin at all. Not for any of us to say what is right for yourself though.

Steve_G profile image
Steve_G

Both drugs are anti-platelet agents, that is they prevent platelets from forming a clot. Having said that, they act through very different mechanisms of action so the effect of the two together is greater than either alone. This shows as a strong tendency to bruising which I had whilst on aspirin and ticagralor following CABG. The practice of medicine is evidence based which means that there has to be strong statistical evidence for the clinical benefits for dual anti platelet over single agent therapy before it’s prescribed.

cabgpatch profile image
cabgpatch

I am apparently on Aspirin for life, but will drop Clopidogrel after a year. I think that is pretty common. To quote my release notes, 'Clopidogrel for secondary prevention post-CABG. For DAPT (dual antiplatelet therapy) for 1 year then clopidogrel to stop and aspirin to continue lifelong'.

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