Atherosclerosis risk with warfarin

HiMyNameIsDale · Jun 12, 2014

I have been living my life for more than two years past my surgery to replace my aortic valve with a mechanical valve. It was a little bumpy at first, but everything seems to be going well apart from daily bouts of palpitations (I am accepting them as the norm). The thing I am a little worried about though is the risk of atherosclerosis that comes with warfarin supposedly. I have read a few things floating around the internet that mention this problem and, since I have been taking warfarin from the age of 23, I get a little worried. I hope to have a pretty long life after my heart surgery and I wonder if all those years on warfarin will cause substantial calcification of my arteries. Can anyone shed some insight from their long lives on warfarin and whether or not this has been a noticeable issue for them? Or any suggestions anyone has to help prevent, slow down, or inform me on this potential issue would be appreciated too.

pellicle · Jun 12, 2014

Or indeed the opposite seems to be true

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/11/3100

The risk of incident CHD, all-cause mortality, and aortic atherosclerosis was studied in tertiles of energy-adjusted vitamin K intake after adjustment for age, gender, BMI, smoking, diabetes, education, and dietary factors. The relative risk (RR) of CHD mortality was reduced in the mid and upper tertiles of dietary menaquinone compared to the lower tertile [RR = 0.73 (95% CI: 0.45, 1.17) and 0.43 (0.24, 0.77), respectively]. Intake of menaquinone was also inversely related to all-cause mortality [RR = 0.91 (0.75, 1.09) and 0.74 (0.59, 0.92), respectively] and severe aortic calcification [odds ratio of 0.71 (0.50, 1.00) and 0.48 (0.32, 0.71), respectively]. Phylloquinone intake was not related to any of the outcomes. These findings suggest that an adequate intake of menaquinone could be important for CHD prevention.

tom in MO · Jun 13, 2014

Given the fact most wafarin users are old with cardivascular problems to begin with, It would be hard to generate meaningful data unless there was a severe effect, which there is not. The official warning, last time i read it 2years ago said nothing about this problem. Rest easy, warfarin is much better than a stroke and your much more likely to get calcification of the arteries do to genetcs or diet.

carolinemc · Jun 15, 2014

tom in MO, I am from kcmo to let you know. I have used warfarin for quite a few years know. Been since I was 36 years young, am now 49, inching towards 50. Calcifaction can be caused by many number of things, diet, exercise, genetics.. To pellile, I was told once about having calcification on my heart by a quack doctor who claimed to be a cardio specialist. I was met with the surgeon who checked me over and found none. But it does have many other causes. Talks with your cardio, Pellile, and ask about this calcification.

dick0236 · Jun 15, 2014

I have taken warfarin since I was 31, now 78, without any indication of such a condition. In fact, I can identify no adverse health problems as a result of long time warfarin use.

clay_from_nj · Jun 15, 2014

I did some quick searching around online, and the only sites I could find that stated "severe" risk and "danger" of warfarin also happened to be selling some kind of "herbal alternative".

HiMyNameIsDale · Jul 30, 2014

Yeah, I guess I was just worried because I have to take warfarin for a long time if I live to a ripe old age. Thanks for all of the input everyone. This site really helps put things into perspective and put me at ease with some of my fears. It is comforting seeing people that have been living with warfarin and a mechanical valves for a long time like dick0236 and that they have had minimal problems. Seeing people that have experienced things first hand is always more useful to me than studies that may be lacking evidence or have skewed correlations.