Quote about Coumadin from Eisenhower Medical Center magazine article

[Guest guest]

" If there's one point to be taken out of any discussion in atrial

fibrillation, it is that once you have started Coumadin to prevent stroke, there

has to

be a very good reason to ever stop it. "

Rubin, MD Electrophysiologist and co-chair Heart Arrhythmias,

Eisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, CA

Lil

[Guest guest]

I think this really relates to why we start coumadin in the first place. My mom

is in permanent afib, so she will take coumadin forever.. never even thinks of

stopping. My dad has had three deep vein thrombosis(es) and will never go off

coumadin. They have really legitimate reasons to be on it. Anyone with

permanent afib needs to be one, as well as various heart structural problems..

etc.. but the guy who's given coumadin after his first hour long afib event?

Likely does not need to be on coumadin for the rest of his life.

After a 6 week episode of afib in Jan 04, I went on coumadin - actually

within the first few days of the 6 weeks - but after 6 months of no afib, I went

off as quickly as I could. I went back on after my 3 fall events, even though I

didn't need to be on it... but I had signed up for an ablation and I knew they

would require it prior to the surgery.

So.. this statment may hold for people who really need to be on coumadin

therapy, but I think there is a huge group of people on it just because their

doctors are cautious and it's such a standard course of action. We all need to

remember that being on blood thinners brings their own real risks of

complications.

just my three cents!

Stef

cnetwork@... wrote:

" If there's one point to be taken out of any discussion in atrial

fibrillation, it is that once you have started Coumadin to prevent stroke, there

has to

be a very good reason to ever stop it. "

Rubin, MD Electrophysiologist and co-chair Heart Arrhythmias,

Eisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, CA

Lil