You’ve probably heard a lot about the new drugs that are supposed to help prevent strokes from occurring. If you’re like others with elderly parents or grandparents, you are probably also wondering just how safe these new medications are. But because Warfarin (the previous industry standard when it came to prolonged blood thinner usage) is so cumbersome in use, new alternatives might seem attractive. Warfarin has proven results, but it requires ongoing blood tests as long as it is being used.
The new medications are referred to as non-vitamin K antagonist oral coagulant (NOAC). They have received a lot of hype over the last several months, and some doctors have gone as far as to say that they revolutionize stroke prevention for those with atrial fibrillation. They work faster than Warfarin and they require far less when it comes to blood work and monitoring. A new study looks at the data behind the usage of three leading NOAC medications, and evaluates their safety. Because no clinical trials have yet been run on these, this data is far from conclusive, but it gives researchers a head start on knowing what to expect.
Instead, the study focused on real life observations. They were able to look at both effectiveness and safety by evaluating medical claims data over the course of about five years. It was found that all three of the medications examined seemed to be very effective as far as limiting the instances and severity of stroke, but one stood out as much safer than the others. Those taking apixaban were less likely to suffer from severe bleeding than those patients that were on either dabigatran or rivaroxaban. Doctors may choose one over the others for any number of reasons, but this limited data pointed ongoing studies in a new direction by uncovering this.
Strokes are one of the leading cause of disability in the elderly. A stroke can cause both physical and mental impairments, and if they are not treated immediately, the risk of prolonged disability increases. Even when a stroke is detected early and properly treated, this remains a large risk, although that risk has gone down over the last several years thanks to advances in treatment. Even with this, permanent disabilities still occur. Oftentimes, in-home care can address these new needs, but not always. In extreme cases, a relocation to a nursing home or even a hospital becomes a necessity. No one wants to have a loved one with a disability, but unfortunately this is sometimes a reality for families.
These are things that most people don’t want to think about, but being prepared for a worst case scenario and knowing how to care for someone that has suffered a stroke is really helpful. Again, you don’t ever want to be put in this situation, but if you are you want to know what to do. Having a high quality in-home care service in mind that you are already aware of and trust can get you started in the right direction. Even if you never use them, this can act as a strong starting point as your prepare for the future.
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