Aspirin does not prevent strokes.

Based on the latest research it seems that aspirin is wrongly prescribed in the United States, especially in the case of atrial fibrillation.

Patients suffering from this health condition need a blood thinner which will help them reduce the risk of having a stroke. Unfortunately, over 30 percent of United States patients diagnosed with abnormal heartbeat atrial fibrillation are not prescribed the correct medication.

Moreover, around 40 percent of all patients living with this condition, due to various causes or age, are prescribed aspirin instead of a proper blood thinner such as warfarin or Xarelto (rivaroxaban). This situation is quite alarming because it might lead to a higher death rate throughout the United States.

It means that active measures must be taken as soon as possible to stop this problem and to provide patients with the proper medication.

According to Dr. Jonathan Hsu, assistant professor of medicine, cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at the University of California, San Diego, life-saving medications are not prescribed to patients suffering from atrial fibrillation despite the fact that there are clear guideline recommendations of which doctors were informed.

It is known that women are more likely to suffer a stroke. Nevertheless, men are the ones that usually receive recommended blood thinners.

According to Dr. Samuel Wann, a cardiologist at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee, there are two primary reasons why aspirin should not be prescribed to patients suffering from abnormal heartbeat atrial fibrillation.

The first reason is that aspirin has no effect on this health condition. In addition to this, this medication is not even an anticoagulant. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that occurs because the heart’s upper chambers beat too fast and not synchronized.

As a consequence, blood clots can develop and go into the brain where they can lead to a stroke. The formation of these clots can be prevented if the patient takes blood thinners.

It is also worth mentioning that aspirin only prevents platelets from sticking together and forming clots, but that does not mean that aspirin is a blood thinner. Hopefully, more doctors will become aware of this fact and will start prescribing the correct medication to every patient.

The most important blood thinner efficient against abnormal heartbeat atrial fibrillation besides Xarelto and warfarin (Coumadin) are edoxaban (Savaysa), apixaban (Eliquis), and dabigatran (Pradaxa).

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