Artificial Valve means Anticoagulant -- Macular Degeneration patients - READ

[LubDubLubDub]

I posted this down on the Anti-Coagulation Forum, but I felt it was important enough to post here as well, if you're facing a future of Coumadin.

If you're like I was, deciding between a Tissue valve or a Mechanical valve...

and IF you have WET Macular Degeneration in your eyes (Or if a parent has had it, which means you have a better 50% chance of getting it too)...
...using an anticoagulent could lead to blindness.

I found this on a Mac Degeneration Forum:

>> We received the following question from a reader: “Can you inform me if there are any studies indicating a connection [or lack of one] between Macular Degeneration and cardiac ‘blood thinners?’”

Answer: This is a good question. While there is no evidence that aspirin, any other platelet inhibitor, or Coumadin® increases the progression of AMD, there is A LOT OF EVIDENCE however that Coumadin® increases the risk of severe bleeding in eyes of patients with the wet or neovascular form of AMD. The bleeding CAN BE SO SEVERE THAT ALL VISION IS LOST. Therefore, if you have the wet form of AMD, you should ask your doctor if you really need Coumadin®. Your doctor may or may not be able to take you off the drug, if for instance, you have an artificial heart valve, atrial fibrillation, or a history of strokes. If this is the case, then ask your doctor to keep the dose and the INR (a measure of how much you are anticoagulated) as low as possible. One would think that aspirin or other platelet inhibitors would also increase the risk of bleeding in AMD but that hasn’t seemed to be the case.


For once in my life, I feel like I made the right decision by going with a tissue valve requiring NO Coumadin / Warfarin.

 

[drivetopless]

For once in my life, I feel like I made the right decision by going with a tissue valve requiring NO Coumadin / Warfarin.

Sounds like it!

 

[Jkm7]

Thanks for sharing about this. I don't ever recall this topic being raised before and it certainly can be helpful for others to consider what you have learned.

 

[ottagal]

Thanks for sharing this. My father has macular degeneration and is on coumadin for atrial fib. I am not sure whether it is dry or wet Macular degeneration. This is important information to have.

 

[bdryer]

Called the anti coagulation clinic in my home city and this was news to them. IE they never heard of it. Who knows?

 

[Lynlw]

Lub, Were you looking because a family member has wet or neovascular form of AMD and is on Coumadin or might need to be? If so there are a few studies about it on pubmed if you need more info.

 

[LubDubLubDub]

Lynlw - I was interested due to that 50/50 chance that heredity may pass on wet Mac Degen to ME. If I have a better than average chance of getting Macular Degeneration, I didn't want to have a mechanical clacker installed that would require me being on coumadin forever. So I had a tissue valve stuck in there... no coumadin worries. (Going blind scares me more than that second valve replacement surgery I'll need in 15 years.)