Aspirin advice

[davhill]

Musing on whether to take 75mg aspirin for its blood-thinning property, I'm seeking advice from someone with cardio knowledge.

Thing is, an echo showed mitral valve regurgitation, so I have a water pistol. Otherwise, I'm on 75mg Venlafaxine (Rodomel XL) and 80mg half Beta Prograne sustained.

So, is baby aspirin OK or will it make the water pistol a Super Soaker?

Thanks.

[The_Doc]

You'll need a cardiologist to answer this.

And, in my limited, NHS carpenter, knowledge aspirin is an antiplatelet agent rather than blood thinner like warfarin, heparin or NOAC.

We use it for VTE prophylaxis in legs, but like I say you need a heart doctor.

[davhill]

The_Doc said:

You'll need a cardiologist to answer this.

And, in my limited, NHS carpenter, knowledge aspirin is an antiplatelet agent rather than blood thinner like warfarin, heparin or NOAC.

We use it for VTE prophylaxis in legs, but like I say you need a heart doctor.

Thank you, The Doc. I've another echo in ten days, followed by a meet with the cardiologist in May so I'll ask him then.

Cheers, davhill.

[ikeepbuyingd5s]

I am for my sins, a cardiologist.

Taking aspirin won't give you a super-soaker. The mitral regurgitation is likely to be happening because the different parts of the mitral valve don't close together in quite the right shape to form a tight seal, so the blood flows back the wrong way through the valve (from left ventricle to left atrium) when the heart contracts. It isn't happening because the blood isn't thick enough, and taking aspirin won't make the problem worse.

Do you have a good reason to take a baby aspirin? A previous heart attack or stent in one of your arteries would be a good reason.

A decade or so ago opinion was in favour of giving aspirin to people who didn't have cardiovascular disease but we felt they were at high risk of this in the future (so called "primary prevention"). The evidence/opinion has shifted and we don't tend to do this - see https://cks.nice.org.uk/antiplatelet-treatment#!sc... for background.

Important things to know about your water pistol are
- how bad is the mitral regurgitation (often classified on a mild, mild to moderate, moderate, moderate to severe, severe)
- why the valve is leaky (i.e. what is the mechanism)
- whether it is having any other effects on the heart (if the leak is bad enough, then the heart adapts by changing shape, and/or can develop abnormal rhythms)

Feel free to message me. Usual disclaimers about this not being medical advice apply.....

[davhill]

ikeepbuyingd5s said:

I am for my sins, a cardiologist.

Taking aspirin won't give you a super-soaker. The mitral regurgitation is likely to be happening because the different parts of the mitral valve don't close together in quite the right shape to form a tight seal, so the blood flows back the wrong way through the valve (from left ventricle to left atrium) when the heart contracts. It isn't happening because the blood isn't thick enough, and taking aspirin won't make the problem worse.

Do you have a good reason to take a baby aspirin? A previous heart attack or stent in one of your arteries would be a good reason.

A decade or so ago opinion was in favour of giving aspirin to people who didn't have cardiovascular disease but we felt they were at high risk of this in the future (so called "primary prevention"). The evidence/opinion has shifted and we don't tend to do this - see https://cks.nice.org.uk/antiplatelet-treatment#!sc... for background.

Important things to know about your water pistol are
- how bad is the mitral regurgitation (often classified on a mild, mild to moderate, moderate, moderate to severe, severe)
- why the valve is leaky (i.e. what is the mechanism)
- whether it is having any other effects on the heart (if the leak is bad enough, then the heart adapts by changing shape, and/or can develop abnormal rhythms)

Feel free to message me. Usual disclaimers about this not being medical advice apply.....

Excellent stuff ikeepbuyingd5s, thank you.

I can't message you as you aren't accepting emails but I'll come back on here with answers. It's OK, none of it is secret.

Cheers, dh

[davhill]

Hi again,

I quote from my consultant cardio's report...

'This gentleman has had his echocardiogram which shows good LV function with mild LVH. The
anterior leaflet is slightly thickened and may prolapse a little bit; there is an eccentric posteriorly
directed jet of MR which is probably moderate.

Ithink all we need to do is probably review him again in a couple of years' time with a repeat
echo around at that time. His valve problem though is mild and inelevant and needs no
treatment at this time.'

I was mooting taking aspirin having heard it is protective against heart/stroke problems. No HA or stent. I had a brief spell of suspected paradoxical AF during a hyper-stressful time - bisoprolol settled it. The consultant didn't see a copy of the paramedics' ECG - I don't know if he has by now.

I note that the upcoming echo and clinic visit are about two years after the AF event.

Cheers, dh