Atrial Fib and Aspirin or Coumadin

[NatalieMarie]

Why would a doctor prescribe aspirin over coumadin for a person with atrial fib?

[Uboat]

It depends on your age as the main factor. I'm 51 and have Lone Afib. I take a low dose aspirin along with my Toprol and Digoxin. Over 65 you're more likely to be put on Warfarin (Coumadin). I think at more advanced age other risk factors come into play. They usually take the most conservative approach that's effective. If you're at a younger age and your doc prescribes Aspirin therapy, it's for a reason. The reason being that Aspirin will do the trick.

[va_tony]

Aspririn is far more convenient and safer to administer. Coumadin requires diet restrictions and periodic testing (PT/INR checked weekly or monthly) and occasional dose adjustments. If you accidently let your PT/INR rise above safe levels you could have serious bleeding problems and complications. If it drops too low, you are at risk of a stroke.

As Uboat said, there are risk factors (age, BP, prior stroke, etc.) that greatly increase your chances of clotting/stroke and so coumadin is indicated.  Your cardiologist assesses these and determines if you can get by safely with just aspirin or if coumadin/warfarin need be prescribed. Here is how the medhelp cardiologist answered a similar question to yours.

http://es.medhelp.org/posts/show/253811

BTW I've been on coumadin for over 5 years and would much rather be on aspirin.  On the other hand, I don't want to get a stroke either and it's not too inconvenient.

[ReelEscape]

I have been on Coumadin for nearly 15 years.  I fretted over it when I first started, but became glad that I was taking it when weighing the alternative (Stroke).  I asked the EP why those people on Aspirin therapy did not have to take Protime/INR tests and he replied that it was because Aspirin did not change thickness of the blood sufficiently to require a test.  I would prefer to have my blood thined to INR between 2 and 3 than have whatever Aspirin does to it.