I'm a one year post bypass patient who is perscribed aspirin daily should I be on Plavix also?

Question

I'm a one year post bypass patient who is perscribed aspirin daily should I be on Plavix also?

Answer 1

Diet should be your main concern, and not medication.  Aspirin and Plavix are both medications that thin the blood.  In the long run though; you will benefit more from a healthy diet in conjunction with your medication, than medication alone.

Answer 2

(low dose) Aspirin is a life-saving drug for post-infarction & post-bypass patients. It significantly reduces the risk of second attack and stroke in patients with CAD (Coronary Artery Disease). So, it should be an integral part of your daily medication.

About adding Clopidogrel (Plavix) to the treatment has some risks; most significant being increased bleeding tendencies. Therefore, your cardiologist would be in an ideal position to weigh these risks against the benefits offered to decide the best treatment plan for you.

In my opinion, the mentioned combined therapy offers only slight advantage in limited patients with past history of Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA) or ischemic stroke. So, it should not be generalised for all patients.