Brian Vickers will be sidelined for treatment of blood clots for the next six months. The blood thinning medicine he needs to take makes it too dangerous for Vickers to race in case of a crash.
Vickers, Red Bull Team General Manager, Jay Frye and Steven A. Limentani, MD, (Carolinas Hematology-Oncology Associates, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Associate Medical Director, Blumenthal Cancer Center) addressed the media on Friday.
The 26-year old driver catalogued his condition and treatment as he related, “I had some more problems,” and, upon review of CT scans, doctors “found the blood clots in both lungs, my left leg and immediately started me on Lovenox, Heparin, I believe, and Coumadin. The Lovenox is the bridge until the Coumadin kicks in, which takes some time.
Dr. Limentani added, “It is not advisable for him to race while he is on blood thinners.”
The Doctor was asked about the rarity of this condition in a healthy young athlete, “I’ve never known quite how to define rare. When I worked in Boston, I filled a clinic one afternoon a week just like Brian. It’s not a rarity that a doctor will go, ‘Oh my god, a 26-year-old with a clot.’ It’s not common. Commonly this happens in people in people above the age of 40 or 45. Usually it happens with a clear cause, surgery, or things like that.”
Frye said the team hadn’t decided on a permanent replacement, other than Casey Mears for the near future. “It is still to be determined, but he’s doing a great job. He did a great job last week in Dover, so we don’t anticipate any change. With the road courses coming up, maybe we do something different there, but we’re very comfortable with Casey.
Vickers was confident that, after this enforced hiatus, he’ll be back to competitive form next year.
“I do expect to be back in the car next season and to win the Daytona 500,” he said
Vickers, Red Bull Team General Manager, Jay Frye and Steven A. Limentani, MD, (Carolinas Hematology-Oncology Associates, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Associate Medical Director, Blumenthal Cancer Center) addressed the media on Friday.
The 26-year old driver catalogued his condition and treatment as he related, “I had some more problems,” and, upon review of CT scans, doctors “found the blood clots in both lungs, my left leg and immediately started me on Lovenox, Heparin, I believe, and Coumadin. The Lovenox is the bridge until the Coumadin kicks in, which takes some time.
Dr. Limentani added, “It is not advisable for him to race while he is on blood thinners.”
The Doctor was asked about the rarity of this condition in a healthy young athlete, “I’ve never known quite how to define rare. When I worked in Boston, I filled a clinic one afternoon a week just like Brian. It’s not a rarity that a doctor will go, ‘Oh my god, a 26-year-old with a clot.’ It’s not common. Commonly this happens in people in people above the age of 40 or 45. Usually it happens with a clear cause, surgery, or things like that.”
Frye said the team hadn’t decided on a permanent replacement, other than Casey Mears for the near future. “It is still to be determined, but he’s doing a great job. He did a great job last week in Dover, so we don’t anticipate any change. With the road courses coming up, maybe we do something different there, but we’re very comfortable with Casey.
Vickers was confident that, after this enforced hiatus, he’ll be back to competitive form next year.
“I do expect to be back in the car next season and to win the Daytona 500,” he said