warafin & low dose asprin a good thing ??

[coquille]

my 74 year old father has been taken 5mg of warifin and low dose asprin (81mg) for along time know,..he had a stent put in about 5 years ago and still contiues to combine the two....how does this sound to you guy's?? concerned son  

[kenkeith]

The protocol guidelines are aspirin and plavix for year or a little longer if the implant was DES.  Drug enduced stents have propensity to form a clot when compared to bare metal stents.  

After a year the consensus is to continue aspirin (81mg is OK), and unless there is a special need for an additional anti-platelet medication the plavix should be discontinued based on the risk of uncontrolled bleeding, etc. is greater than any benefit.  You should discuss with the doctor what benefit is expected with the continuation of plavix...I don't know of any under general circumstances and medical conditions.

[NTB]

with no artificial valves, no afib? That seems like a long time for warfarin in that case. How often is his INR checked?

Why isn't he on antiplatelet drugs (like Plavix) instead of warfarin? Warfarin can give problems of various kinds.