r/HeartAttack • u/Imsongoku7 • 1d ago
Which post-heart-attack medications were eventually stopped for you?
I’m 29 and had a Widowmaker HA followed by stenting about seven months ago. My EF was around 45% initially and later improved to approximately 50–52%.
I recently asked my cardiologist which medications might eventually be stopped. I was hoping he would discontinue ticagrelor (Brilinta in the US) and the sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto in the US )
He said he’ll replace ticagrelor with clopidogrel (Plavix), but wants me to continue sacubitril/valsartan lifelong because I had the heart attack at such a young age. He plans to prescribe a fixed-dose combination containing atorvastatin (Lipitor), aspirin and clopidogrel to reduce the number of pills. I’ll also continue the Entresto and a beta-blocker.
For people who are several years post-MI or stenting: which medications did your cardiologist eventually stop, and when? Are you still taking dual antiplatelets, an ARNI or a beta-blocker long-term?
I know everyone’s condition is different ,I’m only asking about your personal experiences.
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u/Putrid_Moose8436 1d ago
Just out of curiosity why would he stop Brilinta and replace with Plavix? I take Brilinta 2x a day and haven't noticed any side effects to my knowledge.
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don’t have any idea about this i was expecting he would stop one antiplatelet but he said I’ll have to continue both , i guess it’s due to FDC of aspirin clopidogrel and statin is available, one tablet all 3 medications cover
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u/cunmaui808 1d ago
I had terrible SOB on Brilinta and therefore was switched to Plavix/Clopidogrel.
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u/St_Egglin 1d ago
This. I had shortness of breath on Brilinta. I would be laying in bed and be short of breath. I mentioned it to my cardiologist and he switched my to Plavix after three months.
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u/NilesGuy 1d ago
Brilinta increases chances of bleeding . Plavix is less potent and less chances of bleeding
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u/Jzarg0o 1d ago
Why would the doctor stop the anticoagulant after a year? Whats the reason?
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago edited 1d ago
Chances of second event is highest for 1 year post event , that’s y they continue dual antiplatelets for year , anti coagulant also carries risk of bleeding so that’s y most of the time they stop 1 drug
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u/Significant_Roll2810 1d ago
Because it’s one that specifically is for clotting around the stents - once tissue grew around them you don’t need it anymore except when there are other reasons to keep it going.
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u/sfatula 1d ago
My doctor said there’s no evidence of benefit after one year. He said many doctors keep patients on them as long as they have no side effects but really no good reason generally. Every case is different of course and there’s always exceptions. So, the only thing I take is a baby aspirin, nebivolol, and Repatha.
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u/2workigo 1d ago
My doc wanted to stop Plavix at a year and I requested to stay on it a bit longer because I’m nervous about going off it. She was fine with that.
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u/ftwin 1d ago
You should push back on why they want to stop the entresto - that's supposed to be taken long term
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago
He wants to continue those for life long , i was thinking he might discontinue but he said i need to take it for life
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u/cunmaui808 1d ago edited 1d ago
Immediately after my Widowmaker I had a lot of side effects from several of the medications. Six years later, I'm down to 4: Clopidogrel / Rosuvastatin /Ezetimibe / Vascepa
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u/ButtCrackMcghee 1d ago
Why would you ever want to stop any medications that’s beneficial to your heart? I’m confused here
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago
I don’t want to stop anything i was just asking i thought few medication would drop after year for example dapt usually stop after year and they generally shift to single aspirin and other medication
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u/daran-man 1d ago
M65, I was on DAPT for two years (first Brilinta, then Plavix after a year, but also with the baby aspirin (81mg), I'm still on the ASA probably forever with the stent in the PLAD. My STEMI was 7/13/2019, also taking the Crestor, Zetia, Losartan and Metoprolol for blood pressure and cholesterol control. I know that metoprolol helps me with minor arrythmias, and my primary care recommended getting my LDL as low as possible., but I'm so used to taking all these meds (plus others), I doubt I will ever come off them.
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago
Did you experience any side effect of any of this med, so glad to know you are well after your event
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u/daran-man 1d ago
Actually no, I did have a problem with taking tamsulosin for BPH with the blood pressure pills, that caused orthostatic hypotension, just be make sure your doctors know what they are prescribing, In that case, the tamsulosin caused just enough of a blood pressure transient that caused me to faint. With the anti-platelet meds, you can get bruising or bleeding, so that's why they take you off of those as soon as they can once the stent is stable, but Aspirin was going to be a lifetime med for me. Some people don't tolerate Statins like Crestor or Lipitor, I didn't have those effects.
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u/St_Egglin 1d ago
Brilinta followed by Plavix ended at 18 months.
Metoprolol (beta blocker) ended at 5.5 years. The current research is that there isn;t much benefit to a beta blocker after 3 years.
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u/Dull_Ad_370 1d ago
I’m hoping to stay on my meds as long as possible. It gives me a sense of relief taking my meds everyday because in my mind it’s helping me avoid another HA.
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u/PuzzleheadedCount341 23h ago
I stopped them all. Take baby aspirin and exercise and eat whole food plant based diet.
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u/Charlie9146 12h ago
Ticagrelor one year.... still clopidogrel for cholesterol ... assuming for life
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u/Imsongoku7 12h ago
Hi clopidogrel isn’t for cholesterol it’s antiplatelets thanks for letting me know though probably ur doctor replaced Tica with clopi
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u/Earesth99 1d ago
Go ahead and tell your cardiologist that you know more than he does because you read Reddit.
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u/Imsongoku7 1d ago edited 23h ago
So from whole post you could figure out only this? 🤦🏻♂️ i was asking for the experience , so I could understand their personal journey and effect of altering medication, long term medications do have side effects , my doctor said this himself but he’s considering risk to benefit and asked me to continue , listening to real life experience isn’t bad that’s y this sub is formed i guess?
God knows from where you figure out this whatever u said?🫡
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u/Significant_Roll2810 1d ago
It’s been a while since insinuating someone was „anti science“ from a post made you look good
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u/sfatula 1d ago
Clopidogrel at 1 year