Asprin, why?

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maisiejane

maisiejane

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
166
Location
Cheshire, UK
I am on the waiting list for AVR, this morning I received a letter from my GP , they had received notification from my cardiologist to start me on aspirin, is this usual practice prior to heart surgery? I would have preferred an explanation as to why I need to take this,
Any thoughts?
Deb x
 
I was also told to start Aspirin. Apparently, it helps protect us from heart attacks. Not really related to our valve problems. Cardiologists recommend this a lot.
 
Yes it is a mild anticoagulant. It has been part of my medication from the start. (1) -325mg asprin per day. 5mg Coumadin 5 days a week and 7.5mg of Coumadin 2 days a week. My INR when last checked was 2.5. Testing this coming Friday. My cardio feels so good about the ON-X valve that he has lowered my range from 2.5 to 3. New target-2.0 to 2.5.
 
To keep it simple:

Aspirin makes the blood more 'slippery', therefore works differently than warfarin/coumadin.
Warfarin/coumadin depletes the clotting agent of vitamin K within the blood.

Hope this helps.
 
pellicle said:
An interestingly narrow range. I wonder how easy it will be to remain within that
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replys, but I am still a little confused, I have been diagnosed with a leaky valve for 7 years with no aspirin, now just before my surgery they want me to take it, I am having a tissue valve not mechanical, is it prescribed to everyone before heart surgery?
Deb x
 
maisiejane said:
Thanks for your replys, but I am still a little confused, I have been diagnosed with a leaky valve for 7 years with no aspirin, now just before my surgery they want me to take it, I am having a tissue valve not mechanical, is it prescribed to everyone before heart surgery?
Deb x
Click to expand...
I questioned my surgeon about it and he said that he felt it was better. I can't find much in a review of medical publication databases, so I assume its a "feel good thing" no one ever had me on it in the previous 2 surgeries.
 
I was prescribed aspirin years ago and have taken it daily with no issue.
My surgeon required I cease the aspirin for two weeks prior to my surgery and then I started it again after.
Surgeon's office gave me specific lengthy list of all the products which contain aspirin as they want their OHS patients to avoid all of them.

Interesting your doctors would start you on aspirin just before surgery.
 
For those who do not understand the use for asprin, it is a blood thinning agent. It also slows down the clotting that people on warfrin have. I am surprised that it is being recommended before surgery, when you need the blood to clot normally. Whatever these days. Hugs for today. :)
 
I had been on 325 mg aspirin for years before surgery. When I met with surgeon, he wanted me off aspirin for 1 week before surgery. After surgery I am on Coumadin and 81 mg of aspirin. If you are not sure, ask doctors and push for answers.
 
My surgeon did not put me on aspirin before my surgery, and wants me to take none of it for 6 weeks afterwards (or ibuprofin, although acetominophin is fine). I can't imagine they would put you on it if it would be dangerous, but if you're uncomfortable, do ask.
 
It doesn't sound right to me either that anyone facing any surgery would be on aspirin before the surgery....but I'm not a doctor - BTW I was not on aspirin before surgery - only after.

When is your surgery?
 
I was told by Mayo clinic NOT to discontinue my 325 daily aspirin therapy pre-surgery.
 
I spoke to the cardio specialist nurse today, and she says that cardiologists like to use aspirin a lot and the results from my Anglo state that I have 40% stenosis in my proximal segment ( don't know where that is) so he prefers to use a small daily dose 75mg long term, I have to stop taking it 1 week before surgery, Rachel, I am on the cancellation list so have agreed to go in on short notice, otherwise the waiting list is 6 months.
Deb x
 
Makes sense - I'm on 81mg but was told six months ago that I no longer need to take it.....but I still take it because I don't really see the harm in it and my family has a history of "thick blood" (not the right term) so I'll stay on the aspirin

Keep us posted when you get a date for surgery!!!!!
 
Aspirin does not thin blood.
It acts as an anti-coagulant by making blood cells less sticky so harder to clot.
Coumadin works as anti-coagulant in different method in that it makes the blood take a longer time to clot.
 
As has been said before, Aspirin and warfarin/coumadin work differently. Perhaps the surgeon prefers that your platelets are more 'slippery.' Perhaps there will be slightly less tendency to clot -- and a clot during surgery is certainly undersirable.

In addition to warfarin, I take 81 mg aspirin a day -- just a bit more (and different) protection for my heart.

Also -- someone mentioned a range of 2.0-2.5. This REALLY scares me. Even the most accurate meters have a margin of error -- so a 2.0 may ACTUALLY be more like 1.7 or 1.8 -- and THIS would scare the hell out of me.
 
Asprin, why?

I had an AVR about 4 months ago with a Bovine valve. I currently take a daily 81mg aspirin, but am thinking about stopping it. My Cardiologist said that basically everyone should take a daily Aspirin for cardio-protection. I don't think that argument is compelling enough.

I saw this study about people who took Asprin having a greater likelihood of coronary calcifications. I imagine that since Aspirin makes the blood more "slippery", that it doesn't quite "wash" the calcium off the sides of arteries etc. Since I want to minimize the risk of my valve calcifying in the future, I imagine it would be a good idea to stop the Aspirin, especially since I don't really need it.

Here is the highlight from the study and link below. Any comments are appreciated!

"The presence of coronary calcification was associated with an independent 3-fold greater likelihood of statin and aspirin usage and more appropriate use of statins during 6-year follow-up within the PACC Project cohort. These findings support the concept that the identification of coronary calcium in a screening population leads to shifts in clinical patient management reflected in the provision of preventive cardiovascular pharmacotherapies."

http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1138796&issueno=14
 
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