Alternatives To Blood Thinners
Is it time to try an alternative to blood thinners?
If you suffer from atrial fibrillation, your doctor has likely placed you on blood thinner medications to reduce your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular problems. But blood thinners aren't an automatic fix, and they don't always offer the most effective management of atrial fibrillation to minimize your health risks.1
Whether you're currently on blood thinners or are seeking alternatives to using these medications, it's always worth doing your due diligence to see what medical innovations might offer better prospects for managing your condition and preserving your health. An innovative medical implant may be able to improve upon the performance of blood-thinning medications, giving patients with atrial fibrillation a promising alternative that can eliminate the need for medications entirely.
The problems with blood thinners
Blood thinners like Warfarin have been around for decades, and they continue to be a relatively safe and effective medication to manage atrial fibrillation. But there are still limitations and problems that come with taking these medications daily. For example, Warfarin users are subject to regular blood tests to analyze blood content and your blood's clotting speed. This can be an inconvenience to daily life, forcing you to make time once or twice a month, depending on what your doctor recommends.
While newer blood thinners don't require this blood testing, they all carry their own drawbacks and risks, which forces patients to balance the risk and reward when choosing a medication. And all blood thinners carry risks of excess bleeding, even from minor wounds.2
Meanwhile, all blood thinners carry dietary restrictions that caution against consuming leafy greens and other foods. For some people, this is inconvenient to their lifestyle and dietary preferences, prompting them to seek out alternative treatment options
The benefits of a permanent device implant
Atrial fibrillation is a defect in the heart's ability to pump blood normally. Medications can help restore regular function, albeit with additional risks involved. Another option for today's AFib patients is to consider a device implant that addresses this abnormal heart function, permanently, and without the use of medication.
WATCHMAN is the only FDA-approved device available for this medical reason. The device is implanted directly into the left atrial appendage of your heart, and it eliminates the risk that pooling blood could then form a blood clot that is released into the bloodstream, potentially reaching the brain.
This small, lightweight device has been implanted in patients for more than a decade, and it can simplify management of atrial fibrillation without posing other health risks or consequences to patients.
Opting for surgery over medication
For some patients, the prospect of undergoing surgery over taking a medication might be more intimidating and unsettling. It's important to emphasize that WATCHMAN procedures have taken place more than 100,000 times, and offer a very high success rate.
Roughly 95 percent of all procedures are successfully completed on atrial fibrillation patients. The remaining five percent is comprised of procedures that were not completed, or not even started, because the physicians decided the potential risks were too great to proceed with the treatment.
While patients still need to use blood thinners immediately after the WATCHMAN implant procedure, 90 percent are able to stop using blood thinners 45 days after the treatment is completed. This means your daily life isn't dictated or impacted by the risks and limitations of blood-thinning medications.
If you're unfamiliar with WATCHMAN as an alternative to blood-thinning medications, it's worth talking to a physician to find out whether you're a candidate for this device, and how it might benefit both your health and your lifestyle.
For more information or for an appointment, contact the Reid Health Heart & Vascular Center:
Richmond 765-962-1337
Greenville 937-316-6350
Connersville 765-827-5690
Sources:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atrial-fibrillation/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350630
2. https://www.watchman.com/en-us/atrial-fibrillation-stroke/alternative-to-warfarin.html