Patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of suffering stroke and other complications related to the development of blood clots in their heart. Until 2010, the only oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) to prevent strokes in Afib was warfarin (Coumadin®). Now there are two new oral anticoagulants available in the United States–dabigatran (Pradaxa®) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto®).
Investigators at the University of Minnesota are developing a research project aimed at providing afib patients with a better understanding of the effectiveness of the new oral anticoagulants in preventing strokes when compared to warfarin.
These researchers are seeking input as to what is most important to patients in the US. If you have Afib, please help us to shape this project by answering five brief questions and providing a few pieces of demographic data.
Take the survey at: Survey on Anticoagulant Use in Afib Patients
I thought the survey was pretty good, and the results of this research should be interesting. Somehow it did not get at my real concerns about these things, however. I did have a chance to put them in the write in section, but I am never sure that will be read. With Warfarin I got so I was rarely in the therapeutic range, and that troubled me. Its interaction with other meds was more than a little troubling, but downright dangerous in that my guys always said to get tested in a week, and my INR would go way out of control before then.
With the newer meds I really worry that we are living in a fool’s paradise, and the same thing could be happening stability wise, we just do not know it.
Judy,
Thanks for taking the time to do the survey. Actually, the write-in section is the most important part to the researchers as they want to know exactly what patients are most concerned about. It’s hard for them to guess, and I spent some time helping tweak the survey, but most importantly, they didn’t want to influence the answers. That’s why the write-in part is so important. Thanks for paying special attention to it.
In your case, you could probably write a book about your experiences, especially since you have experience with all. If you think of anything else to add, just send it to me.
Mellanie
Best thing with pradaxa is fronting up to emergency and being
cardioverted straight away and not waiting to get inr levels right
fantastic drug not yet on pbs in australia. i am on a 2year trial at no cost to me .hope they get it pbs listed Bruce
Thanks Mellanie for all your great work on behalf of all of us. I am anxious to see the results of the survey.
Jack Coulombe
Thank you Melanie. I am now a canditate for the mini maze. Going to Indiana heart soon.
Have lived with AFIB for the lst 25 years and until recently used a daily 300 mG aspirin pill as an anticoagulant. Since use of Aspirin has fallen out of favour the last couple of years and I am also suffering from Gastritis, possibly caused by Aspirin, I went ahead and changed to Dabigatran (Pradaxa) recently. However, to my horror I discovered that the price of these pills here in Thailand is Thb 100 each (approx USD 3.30) and two each are prescribed per day. I have now changed to Clopidogrel Bisulfate manufactured by Berlin (Apotex, Canada) and which is locally available OTC under the brand name Apolets @ only Thb 22 (approx USD 0.75) and only needed one daily. Now I wonder who is getting screwed.
Any comments are welcome.
Best regards, Vincent Engels (Mukdahan, Thailand)
Hi Vincent,
Thanks for your post. Clopidogrel (Plavix) is an antiplatelet drug, not an anticoagulant drug, and is not recommended for stroke prevention in AF. You may be interested in consulting your doctor on your stroke risk, and whether there is an anticoagulant they recommend you take for stroke prevention in afib. Good luck!
Melissa
Hi Melissa, many thanks for your advice on the Plavix drug. I am very surprised now as this drug was recommended to me by the Afib specialist of the Bangkok Heart hospital in Thailand.
Wonder whether he knows about this. In any case, Following your comments, I might have to change to warfarin, as the cost of Pradaxa is way above my budget. Best regards,
Vincent
interested in the comments by Vincent. I have AF and go to Bumrungrad -is B. Heart Hospital a better option? I have been recommended ‘radio frequency catheter ablation ‘ treatment – any ideas- you know how money grabbing Thai Hopitals are!
Iain