Why not Plavix instead of Coumadin?

[Der Biermeister]

I think I probably know the answer - Plavix is more of a clot buster and not necessarily a blood thinner. But, I've been on Plavix now for 3/4 of a year and it IS a blood thinner, at least it sure acts that way when I cut myself.

So -- wouldn't Plavix work just as well to prevent clots from mechanical valves? And wouldn't it be more "palatable" ?

DB

 

[Ross]

Plavix works differently on the blood. Somewhat like aspirin does. It lubricates the blood platelets and keeps them from sticking, but it's not enough to keep clots from forming on the valve. Some Doctors use all three approaches. I was on all three for a long time. I'm now dowm to just aspirin and Coumadin.

http://warfarinfo.com/warfasaclop.htm

http://warfarinfo.com/warfarin-platelets.htm

 

[jeffp]

As far as palpatability goes, I try not to crunch and chew up my coumadin; never tried plavix.
The two do both act as anticoagulants, but work on different mechanisms. Plavix works to keep the platelet factors on the blood from working so the platelets are less "sticky". Coumadin works on interfering with the factors that allow fibrin strands to "mesh together". Platelets work more on open wounds and narrowed vessel surfaces in the blood flow that result in significant pressure gradients (like would be in narrowed artery). Fibrin works in areas where there is stagnated blood flow (like around the valve margins). Normally the two work together to close up bleed areas as platelelts slow the flow and fibrin forms a mesh to trap other blood cells and more platelets and firbin, etc until the wound is sealed. As valvers, we're more at risk of the frbrin type clots than the platelet type clots.
What was the question again