Clopidogrel V Aspirin

[Bazile]

Looking at the NICE website - taking Aspirin seems to be less 'risk' than taking clopidogrel .

For example - re Clopidogrel it states -

//increase risk of bleeding; discontinue 7 days before elective surgery if antiplatelet effect not desirable //

Whereas that above advice is not given regarding Aspirin .

1. Family member was taken off Aspirin and put on Clopidogrel instead .
Should he have any cause for concern ?

2. Also should he wear some sort of thing like a necklace advising that he is on Clopidogrel , in case of an emergency ?

[Sqad]

slaney is our blood expert and she will post later but:

Both Aspirin and Clopidogrel make the blood "less sticky" and should be discontinued before surgery. I cannot see the point in exchanging one for the other as a pre-operative maneuver.

I don't think that the wearing of a necklace would have any benefit.

[Bazile]

He had a TIA some years ago and was put on Aspirin .

Sometime later he had an event which the doctors could not say if it was another TIA or not .
It was after this second event that the Consultant changed it from aspirin to Clopidogrel

[Sqad]

Just a guess Bazile.

The diagnosis of TIA ( the treatment of which is Aspirin) was challenged by the second incident in which a cardiac problem suggested and "clot" in the brain, the treatment of which would not have been Aspirin but Clopidogrel.

[Bazile]

What he said was that one morning he woke up and he reckoned that his vision was slightly worse than before .

He went to the eye hospital (as he had an operation on his eyes previously and is still a patient there ) - in case it was a problem with the eyes itself.
The doctors at the eye hospital could not find anything untoward , but as is their policy referred him to this other hospital .

I can't remember if it was a cardiac consultant that he saw or a consultant Neurologist , who changed him from aspirin to Clopidogrel

[Sqad]

It makes sense Bazile.

[Bazile]

With regard to wearing a necklace - would it not be a good idea for
example, for any medical staff performing an emmergency operation to be aware that he is taking a medication which is going to cause him to bleed more than normal ?

[Sqad]

I think it would be a good idea Bazile.