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Mercy Cardiologist Dr. Brian Kahn of The Heart Center at Overlea

Cardiologist Dr. Brian Kahn Of The Heart Center At Overlea Discusses Research Regarding Plavix/Aspirin Combination For Treating Atrial Fibrillation Patients

For the millions of people in the United States who suffer from an abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, there could be a better way to treat your condition. Research research indicates that patients can cut their risk of stroke by combining two drugs.

It's another option for patients who can't tolerate the standard treatment.

Nuclear medicine technician Pamela Treat knew something was wrong when she began experiencing shortness of breath.

"And then I realized my heartbeat was very fast and you could also feel the heart and chest moving around," Treat said.

Her doctor diagnosed atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder. It affects 2.2 million Americans. People who have the condition have a much higher risk of blood clots and stroke.

"What happens in atrial fibrillation is the top chamber quivers. You get an irregular heartbeat, blood clots form in this top chamber, which then travel to the bottom of the chamber and then go to the brain, which causes a stroke," said Mercy Medical Center cardiologist Dr. Brian Kahn.

Dr. Kahn, who sees patients at The Heart Center at Overlea, explains the primary treatment is the blood thinner Coumadin, but for some patients, taking the drug can be risky.

"If you get too much, you can bleed. If you don't get enough, you still have a stroke. In the elderly population who tend to fall, Coumadin is a dangerous drug because if you fall, you tend to bleed," he said.

Now those patients have another treatment option. A study involving more than 7,500 people with atrial fibrillation finds combining the blood thinner Plavix with aspirin effectively prevents strokes.

"Using aspirin plus Plavix was better than aspirin alone as far as reducing the chances of having a stroke," he said.

Although the study found the combination does raise the risk of serious bleeding, doctors say for the right patient, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Treat takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day and is feeling like herself again.

"I'm starting to get my breath back," she said.

About 15% of strokes occur in people who have atrial fibrillation.

For more information, watch Dr. Kahn's interview with WJZ-TV13 at http://wjz.com/local/atrial.fibrillation.2.972585.html.