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This trial compared the efficacy of antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel or clopidogrel in patients with non–ST-segment elevation MI or unstable angina. Although prasugrel provides more intense platelet inhibition, clinical outcomes were similar with the two drugs. Clinical-practice guidelines for patients with acute coronary syndromes consisting of unstable angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation recommend a strategy of early invasive management (angiography within 48 to 72 hours with provisional revascularization) for patients at moderate to high risk. 1 , 2 However, analyses from clinical trials and national registries have shown that many such patients are treated medically without revascularization and that such patients have poorer long-term cardiovascular outcomes than those who undergo revascularization. 3 – 6 Even though patients with acute coronary syndromes who receive only medical therapy have an increased-risk profile, they have been underrepresented in large-scale, contemporary, randomized . . .

In a multicenter, randomized trial, ticagrelor — a reversible inhibitor of the adenosine diphosphate receptor P2Y12 — was compared with clopidogrel in patients who had an acute coronary syndrome with or without ST-segment elevation. At 12 months, the primary end point of death from vascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke occurred less often with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor was not associated with an increase in the risk of major bleeding. At 12 months, the primary end point of death from vascular causes, myocardial infarction, or stroke occurred less often with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor was not associated with an increase in the risk of major bleeding. In patients who have acute coronary syndromes with or without ST-segment elevation, current clinical practice guidelines 1 – 4 recommend dual antiplatelet treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel. The efficacy of clopidogrel is hampered by the slow and variable transformation of the prodrug to the active metabolite, modest and variable platelet inhibition, 5 , 6 an increased risk of bleeding, 7 , 8 and an increased risk of stent thrombosis and myocardial infarction in patients with a poor response. 9 As compared with clopidogrel, prasugrel, another thienopyridine prodrug, has a more consistent and pronounced inhibitory effect on platelets, 5 , 6 resulting in a lower risk of myocardial infarction and . . .

In this large clinical trial, aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole was found to have an efficacy similar to that of clopidogrel in the prevention of recurrent stroke. However, aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole resulted in more bleeding, including intracranial bleeding. The results will help guide therapy for secondary stroke prevention. Aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole was found to have an efficacy similar to that of clopidogrel in the prevention of recurrent stroke. However, aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole resulted in more bleeding, including intracranial bleeding. Recurrent stroke is an important vascular event affecting the life of survivors of ischemic stroke. 1 Multiple randomized trials have proved the efficacy of antiplatelet agents for the prevention of recurrent stroke after noncardioembolic stroke. 2 – 11 Antiplatelet options for the prevention of recurrent stroke include aspirin (50 mg to 325 mg per day), the combination of low-dose aspirin and extended-release dipyridamole, and clopidogrel alone. 12 , 13 Aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke recurrence by about 23% as compared with placebo. 7 Studies of clopidogrel have suggested an 8% relative risk reduction of stroke recurrence, as compared with aspirin, among . . .

In this trial, dabigatran plus a P2Y 12 inhibitor was compared with warfarin plus a P2Y 12 inhibitor and aspirin after PCI in patients with atrial fibrillation. The risk of bleeding was lower with dabigatran therapy; prevention of thromboembolic events was similar with the two strategies.

In this randomized trial involving 13,885 patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD), ticagrelor was not shown to be superior to clopidogrel for the reduction of cardiovascular events. Major bleeding occurred at similar rates with ticagrelor and clopidogrel. Peripheral artery disease is considered to be a clinical manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis affecting the vascular territories supplying the lower limbs. Most patients presenting with peripheral artery disease do not have a clinical history of cardiac or cerebral ischemic events, yet these patients are at high risk for myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death. 1 Concomitant clinical evidence of coronary or cerebrovascular disease only magnifies this risk. 2 Therapies to reduce the ischemic risk associated with atherosclerosis have focused on patients with acute coronary syndromes and stable coronary artery disease. Antithrombotic drugs, mainly antiplatelet therapies and statins, are the cornerstone of . . .

In this trial involving patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack, treatment with a combination of clopidogrel and aspirin within 24 hours after onset reduced the risk of stroke in the next 90 days, as compared with aspirin alone. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) and acute minor ischemic stroke are common and often lead to disabling events. In China, there are approximately 3 million new strokes every year, and approximately 30% of them are minor ischemic strokes. 1 , 2 The incidence of TIA in China has not been determined, but on the basis of the incidence in other countries, there are probably more than 2 million TIAs annually in China. 3 – 5 The risk of another stroke occurring after a TIA or minor stroke is high, with approximately 10 to 20% of patients having a stroke within 3 months after the index . . .

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor, is the standard antithrombotic treatment following acute coronary syndromes. The factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban reduced mortality and ischaemic events when added to DAPT, but caused increased bleeding. The safety of a dual pathway antithrombotic therapy approach combining low-dose rivaroxaban (in place of aspirin) with a P2Y12 inhibitor has not been assesssed in acute coronary syndromes. We aimed to assess rivaroxaban 2·5 mg twice daily versus aspirin 100 mg daily, in addition to clopidogrel or ticagrelor (chosen at investigator discretion before randomisation), for patients with acute coronary syndromes started within 10 days after presentation and continued for 6–12 months. In this double-blind, multicentre, randomised trial (GEMINI-ACS-1) done at 371 clinical centres in 21 countries, eligible patients were older than 18 years with unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), with positive cardiac biomarkers and either ischaemic electrocardiographic changes or an atherosclerotic culprit lesion identified during angiography. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) within 10 days after admission for the index acute coronary syndromes event to either aspirin or rivaroxaban based on a computer-generated randomisation schedule. Randomisation was balanced by using randomly permuted blocks with size of four and was stratified based on the background P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) intended to be used at the time of randomisation. Investigators and patients were masked to treatment assignment. Patients received a minimum of 180 days of double-blind treatment with rivaroxaban 2·5 mg twice daily or aspirin 100 mg daily. The choice of clopidogrel or ticagrelor during trial conduct was not randomised and was based on investigator preference. The primary endpoint was thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) clinically significant bleeding not related to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG; major, minor, or requiring medical attention) up to day 390. Primary analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02293395. Between April 22, 2015, and Oct 14, 2016, 3037 patients with acute coronary syndromes were randomly assigned; 1518 to receive aspirin and 1519 to receive rivaroxaban. 1704 patients (56%) were in the ticagrelor and 1333 (44%) in the clopidogrel strata. Median duration of treatment was 291 days (IQR 239–354). TIMI non-CABG clinically significant bleeding was similar with rivaroxaban versus aspirin therapy (total 154 patients [5%]; 80 participants [5%] of 1519 vs 74 participants [5%] of 1518; HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·80–1·50]; p=0·5840). A dual pathway antithrombotic therapy approach combining low-dose rivaroxaban with a P2Y12 inhibitor for the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes had similar risk of clinically significant bleeding as aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor. A larger, adequately powered trial would be required to definitively assess the efficacy and safety of this approach. Janssen Research & Development and Bayer AG.

Reperfusion strategies with fibrinolysis or primary PCI were compared in this trial involving patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The two methods had similar efficacy, but there was more intracranial bleeding in the fibrinolysis group. Although contemporary guidelines for patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recommend primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as the preferred reperfusion strategy, this approach is contingent on performing PCI in a timely fashion. 1 , 2 Since most patients do not present to a PCI-capable hospital, this factor presents a major logistic challenge in many regions. 3 Despite substantial effort directed toward addressing this issue, the large majority of patients with STEMI who present to non-PCI facilities do not subsequently receive primary PCI within guideline-recommended times. 4 This delay results in a commensurate increase in morbidity and mortality. 5 , 6 A second major therapeutic . . .

This clinical trial compared two antiplatelet regimens during PCI: oral clopidogrel and intravenous cangrelor. As compared with clopidogrel, cangrelor resulted in a reduced rate of periprocedureal ischemic events without a significant increase in bleeding. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation is widely used to reduce the risk of death or myocardial infarction in patients with acute coronary syndromes and to reduce the burden of angina and improve the quality of life in patients with stable angina. 1 – 5 Despite advances in adjunctive pharmacotherapy, thrombotic complications during PCI remain a major concern. 6 Antiplatelet therapies, including the P2Y 12 -receptor inhibitors, reduce the risk of ischemic events, particularly stent thrombosis. 7 – 10 To date, only oral P2Y 12 inhibitors have been available. There are several limitations of these drugs when they are used for urgent or periprocedural . . .

In patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy, omeprazole reduced the risk of upper-GI toxic effects but did not increase the risk of cardiovascular events; statistical power to assess cardiovascular events was low, however, so the findings are not definitive. On the basis of data from several studies, clopidogrel has become the second most commonly used prescription drug worldwide. 1 – 9 Gastrointestinal hemorrhage is the most common serious bleeding complication from the use of long-term antiplatelet therapy. 10 , 11 Data from randomized studies support the concept that therapies reducing acidity decrease gastrointestinal complications of antiplatelet therapy involving aspirin, though the data are largely based on endoscopic end points; observational data also support this effect. 12 – 16 Randomized, controlled trials have shown that proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduce the rate of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding in high-risk patients receiving aspirin. 17 Observational studies, however, have suggested that . . .