"Ken Osborne" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My dad is running short of options, and he appears to have an allergy to Plavix. Does this
> rule out a medicated stent? He's down to only one good artery, 72, and has CHF with an EF in
> the low 30's.
A second medicated stent has come to the market or is about to. I'm not sure either of them use
anything contained in Plavix - I doubt it, but you should ask his Dr. - but they do use different
medications from each other.
You may be thinking of the medications that that are part of the protocols associated with stents.
Plavix is not written in stone, particularly if the choice is no stent. Here is one article that
points to one alternative:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=59605
Of course, the only reason you put in a stent is because of a blockage in an artery and the
possibility of some viable heart muscle below that.
Incidently, does he do moderate exercise. If not, you might wish to discuss that with his Dr. Also,
asprin can replace Plavix to some degree but there is a higher bleeding risk.
Bill -- not a Dr.
