subject: An Effective Way To Prevent Heart Complications With A Comparison [print this page] Aspirin and Plavix are highly effective drugs for the management of heart diseases. Though Aspirin is a pain reliever, it is commonly used for preventing heart attacks. Plavix is also a very good drug for preventing heart attacks. The indications of these medicines and the mechanism of their action are provided beneath:
Plavix Indications
The chances of mortality occurring due to stroke, myocardial infarction and peripheral artery disease can be reduced by using this medicine. Patients, who have suffered a heart attack in the recent past, are often advised to use Plavix for preventing its recurrence.
Indications of Aspirin
Aspirin is commonly used as a painkiller. It helps in relieving pain and fever occurring in conditions like toothache, headache and the common cold. It is also used for treating pain in the joints occurring in arthritis. However, doctors also recommend this drug for those who have a recent history of stroke or a heart attack. This drug is also useful for preventing the risk of cerebrovascular stroke and myocardial infarction.
The use of Plavix is very similar to aspirin. But, it is essential to know the mechanism of action of these medicines before patients start using both these medicines or select one for treating cardiac conditions.
Action of Aspirin and Plavix
Plavix can help in the prevention of peripheral vascular disease and cardiac disorders by inhibiting the platelets from sticking together. Due to this, the clogging of the arteries is prevented, resulting in a reduced risk of disorders caused by abnormal clotting of the blood. Aspirin also works in a similar way by preventing the sticking together of the platelets. Formation of blood clots in the arteries can hamper the blood supply to the vital organs in the body, resulting in vascular disorders. Aspirin and Plavix can help in reducing the risk of these disorders by preventing clotting of the blood. It is difficult to compare the effectiveness of these drugs as both Aspirin and Plavix can provide great benefits to patients depending upon the individual case.
Risk of Using Aspirin and Plavix
Great caution needs to be exercised when patients are using these medicines together. It should be kept in mind that the action of these drugs in inhibiting clotting of the blood could cause dangerous complications. These medicines should not be used for patients suffering from bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract due to disorders like gastric ulcers. As these drugs do not allow clotting of the blood, there can be increased bleeding from the ulcers resulting in continuous loss of blood. Simultaneous administration of Aspirin and Plavix (know about Plavix precautions ) can accentuate the anti-coagulating effect of each other resulting in increased blood loss from surgical or accidental wounds.
Aspirinis often prescribed together with Plavix for people who are hospitalized due to myocardial infarction. Before patients start taking treatment with either Aspirin or Plavix or both, they should evaluate the benefits provided by them against the complications that may arise due to them. Proper use of these drugs in prescribed doses can provide great help to patients suffering from cardiac disorders.