Amy's Blog

Circulate this health news

   If you're reading this, you're obviously interested in and probably pretty knowledgeable about heart disease and stroke, so you've heard of drug-coated stents that are used in some patients to prop open narrowing coronary arteries.  Well, a new study reported in "Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association" says African American patients run a distinct risk of developing life-threatening blood clots after receiving stents, coated with clot-prevention drugs. In fact, the study shows African Americans were nearly three times as likely to experience clotting as non African American patients.

   In this study, the stents called drug-eluting stents, were implanted in more than 7-thousand patients between mid-2003 and the end of 2008.   Even after considering other known risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and kidney problems, the researchers found that African Americans still experienced a higher rate of thrombosis or clotting.  Researchers said being African American was the strongest predictor of clotthing that happens more than 30 days after a stent is implanted.

    The study's lead author, Dr. Ron Waksman says, "The bottom line is this is not just because this population is sicker or less compliant, but there is something else there that needs to be explored."   Possible genetic differences in the way African Americans' bodies react to the anti-clotting medication clopidogrel may have an impact.  Clopidogrel, a common drug prescribed after stent implantation, carries a black box warning on its label from the Food and Drug Administration because the drug loses its ability to keep blood clots from forming in some patients whose bodies have trouble converting clopidogrel to its active form.

     If you have concerns or need more information on this study, talk to your doctor. 

      And another reminder, the Heartwalk is only a month away-October 2nd!!!  

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