I have had coronary heart disease now for 7 years. A stroke in 2004 left me with left side weakness due from a large blood clot. Then another stroke in 2008 from another blood clot that hit behind the left eye. I had angioplasty in 2003 for a 75% and 90% blockage but no stents. After the first stoke I was put on Coumadin and thin soon thereafter put on only two baby aspirin. In getting ready for sius surgery in 2008 I was taken off my aspirin for 8 days and the day before the surgery had the second stroke. My cardiologist put me on Plavix plus the two aspirin and had me take 4 plavix the first day I got them. Now I take one Plavix a day plus the two aspirin. After a bout with Pneumonia and Bronchitis and being in the hospital twice I was sent to a Pulmonary Dr. He said first off I should be on Coumadin because I was high risk for blood clots and they don't know where they are coming from. He told me the Plavix was not the medicine of choice with my condition. Now I don't know who to believe the Pulmonary Dr. or my Cardiologist. Can you please give me some insight as to who is right or wrong?
Plavix, similar to aspirin, is effective in treating arterial clots (stroke, heart attack, peripheral arterial disease), whereas coumadin is effective in treating venous clots (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism).