For several years it has been shown that 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is mandatory for patients undergoing left main PCI for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, though this strategy does reduce thrombotic events and mortality, it also causes undesirable bleeding events followed by hospitalization and antiaggregation interruption for a period of time. A feasible...
TICO: Age Impacts the Effect of Antiplatelet Monotherapy
The higher the age, the greater the benefit of ticagrelor monotherapy vs. dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with acute coronary syndrome. This post hoc sub-analysis of the TICO study goes along the same lines as the TWILIGHT study (which we recently discussed), given that age is the most common reason for considering that a...
Post-PCI Ticagrelor Monotherapy in High-Risk Bleeding
In patients at high risk of bleeding undergoing coronary PCI and after completing 3-month DAPT with no events, you may discontinue aspirin and follow up with ticagrelor monotherapy. This will significantly reduce bleeding without increasing ischemic events. With this strategy, the greater the risk of bleeding, the greater the absolute reduction of bleeding. Patients at...
HOST-EXAM: The Study that Challenges Aspirin as Long-Term Antiplatelet Therapy
The HOST-EXAM study (which was prospective, randomized, and open-label, with the participation of 37 Korean sites) was specifically designed to determine the role of aspirin as the long-term antiplatelet therapy of choice after angioplasty with current drug-eluting stents. To this end, the study compared aspirin head-to-head with clopidogrel. Over the course of four years, 5438 patients (mean...
Dual Antiaggregation De-Escalation: A New Paradigm?
De-escalating dual antiaggregation could be the most effective strategy after acute coronary syndrome seeing as it prevents bleeding and cut down costs with no increase of ischemic events. Balancing the effects of dual antiaggregation therapy (DAPT) in the era of potent P2Y12 inhibitors has become the cornerstone of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management. This meta-analysis...
DAPT vs. Monotherapy: The Dilemma Remains After Surgery
Patients who undergo myocardial revascularization surgery and are discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)—aspirin plus clopidogrel—have a lower risk of major cardiovascular and cerebral events than patients on aspirin monotherapy. Furthermore, the risk of bleeding is not increased for those receiving DAPT. This information comes from a registry of over 18,000 patients recently published in the...
ACC 2021 | HOST-EXAM: Clopidogrel vs ASA monotherapy post DAPT in PCI patients
Clopidogrel monotherapy after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) was associated with reduced mortality, MI, stroke, and other events in patients receiving PCI compared against aspirin monotherapy (ASA). This information was provided by the Korean HOST-EXAM study, presented at ACC 2021 scientific sessions, and simultaneously published in the Lancet. Researchers followed patients for 2 years and observed...
How to Discontinue Antiplatelet Therapy Prior Non-Cardiac Surgery
Both the indication and discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy to balance ischemic-bleeding risks has been left to physician criterion. However, leaving the decision to one single specialist might not be the best. This is when the team’s role becomes essential. This study looked at the advantages consensus decision-making amongst clinicians, surgeons and anesthesiologists to continue or...
Short Therapy and Monotherapy, Plenty of Evidence
A short dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) of 1 to 3 months followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after second generation drug eluting stent (DES) implantation is safer and as effective as the traditional scheme. The idea is clear, but why hasn’t aspirin monotherapy been tested as follow up? Is aspirin old fashioned? Are there physiopathological reasons...
Watch again our Webinar on Short Dual Therapy in Patients with High Bleeding Risk
Watch again our Webinar on “Short Dual Therapy in Patients with High Bleeding Risk” on our Youtube account. The event was held on 12/08/2020 and had the participation of more than 200 people and the support of ABBOTT. What things will I learn if I watch this video? 04:02 | Innovation: Short Dual Therapy in...