New FAQ About A-Fib Drug Therapy: Any Guarantee Against Stroke?
The following FAQ is very timely as a close friend of mine just suffered a major stroke, even though she was on Coumadin and her INR was in the correct range. I can’t tell you how discouraging this is, not just for her but for me, too. I worked with her to get the best treatment possible and by one of the best EPs in our area. But she still had a stroke.
Q: “I’ve heard of people with A-Fib on anticoagulants who still had a stroke. What can I do to make sure I never have a stroke?”
A: There is currently no way to absolutely guarantee you will never experience a stroke. “Even when A-Fib patients are effectively anti-coagulated, 14% are still found with clots,” stated Dr. John Camm of St. George’s Medical School, London, England, at the 2008 Boston AF Symposium.
Read more of my answer: how anticoagulants can significantly lower your overall stroke risk by as much as 70%, how closing off your Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) can stop 90%–95% of A-Fib clots which usually originate in the LAA, and whether you should consider combining the Watchman with anti-coagulation… Continue reading… .