taking the blood thinner Plavix along with aspirin prevents strokes and heart attacts in people with a common heartbeat abnormality that puts them at risk of problems , doctors reported Tuesday .
the usual treatment is the blood thinner warfarin , sold as Coumadin and in generic forms . But finding the right dose is tricky - too little patients can have a stroke ; too much and they can have life threatening bleeding .
That leads of patients to take aspirin instead of warfarin , though it is less effective . The study involved 7,554 patients in the U.S. and 32 other counties . All were treated with aspirin ; half also were given Plavix .
After nearly four years of follow up's , the dual drug treatment lowered a combined measure heart attacts , heart related deaths , strokes , and blood clots by 11 percent .
