Warfarin alterative??

[Cactus52]

Just talking with my wife the other day and was wondering if anybody has been able to maintain their INR with alternative methods, such as K2 or aspirin etc...? Looking at getting the On-X in the next few months and just looking at options in the more natural realm.

Thanks
Cactus52

 

[dick0236]

At this time there is no alternative to warfarin for mechanical valve patients. Warfarin has been the only approved and prescribed mechanical valve anti-coagulant for six decades.......and it is playing "Russian roulette" to try home remedies.........and why would I try? I've been on the stuff for five+ decades and it ain't that hard manage......and it is dirt cheap.

 

[Warrick]

Warfarin works on multiple clotting factors whereas asprins works on platelets only if Im not mistaken, so theres only one option at present for valvers.
Warfarin very much has its origins firmly in nature like a lot of meds
https://www.nature.com/articles/nrcardio.2017.172
Theres plenty of research going on looking for new anticoagulant treatments
https://www.hri.org.nz/our-research/haematology-research

 

[Protimenow]

Yes, as Warrick said, LOTS of research.

I spoke to a director (or marketing manager, or something) at ITC, which made the Protime meter (and didn't like me using the name Protimenow), about a decade or so ago. He predicted, at that time, that the need for meters would disappear (if I recall, 'in five years') because there would be an anticoagulant that didn't require INR testing.

We're still waiting. In the meantime, warfarin is easy to manage, is truly 'dirt cheap', and IS, truly based on an agricultural product (Red Clover). If managed properly, it's probably safer than the expensive alternatives (still not approved as alternatives for people with mechanical valves) that are quite expensive, but eliminate that terrible weekly finger stick.

 

[tom in MO]

My cardiologist said there are warfarin alternative drugs being looked into. Eliquis' initial trial for heart valve patients was not successful, but I think he mentioned they were going to dry a different dosage or maybe dosage regimen.

 

[Protimenow]

Personally - I hope they don't.

If they DO get something approved, they'll send their marketing team out and have commercials that basically say 'Warfarin BAD Eliquis (or whatever) GOOD' and convince enough doctors that they should no longer be prescribing Warfarin (although it's a proven drug, that has been successfully used (if properly managed) for decades).

We'll end up paying as much for one day's supply of this new wonder drug as we currently pay for a 90 day supply of warfarin.

I'm not even sure that I'd be interested even if this new miracle anticoagulant was selling for a dime a day.

 

[tom in MO]

Personally - I hope they don't.

If they DO get something approved, they'll send their marketing team out and have commercials that basically say 'Warfarin BAD Eliquis (or whatever) GOOD' and convince enough doctors that they should no longer be prescribing Warfarin (although it's a proven drug, that has been successfully used (if properly managed) for decades).

We'll end up paying as much for one day's supply of this new wonder drug as we currently pay for a 90 day supply of warfarin.

I'm not even sure that I'd be interested even if this new miracle anticoagulant was selling for a dime a day.

Per my cardio, the goal is stable coagulation w/o routine testing and dose adjustment, but with the ability to quickly lower the INR in case of an accident with major blood loss. Sounds like a good goal to me. However, I am not going to risk my life in a clinical trial, let someone else go first

 

[Protimenow]

Blah, blah, blah. The pharmaceutical companies are already working on convincing the medical community that their high priced alternatives will be better. I'm not aware of anything that will rapidly reduce the anticoagulant effect of the new medications- any better than reversal of anticoagulation from warfarin using packed platelets. If there ever IS a suitable alternative to warfarin for people with mechanical valves, I bet it will be damned expensive, and there may still be compliance issues. (Yeah, it'll be nice not to have to worry about weekly INR tests, and perhaps my big fear is the high cost of this stuff).