Platelet Aggregation Inhibitor

September is Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month. Designated by Congress in 2009 following efforts from the Heart Rhythm Society, StopAFib.org and other organizations, Septembers since then have been devoted to the promotion of AF awareness programs and initiatives.

PARIS — When added to dual antiplatelet therapy, vorapaxar reduced platelet-mediated thrombogenicity without impacting clot kinetics in patients with and without diabetes, according to results from the OPTIMUS-5 study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.

PARIS — Among a cohort of patients with stable CAD, angina yielded worse outcomes in patients with prior MI but did not make a difference in patients without prior MI, according to results from the CLARIFY registry presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.

PARIS — In the AFIRE trial, rivaroxaban monotherapy was noninferior to rivaroxaban plus an antiplatelet agent with respect to CV events and death from any cause, and was superior for major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation and stable CAD.

PARIS — Ticagrelor added to low-dose aspirin reduced the incidence of ischemic events in patients with stable CAD and diabetes without a history of MI or stroke, but increased major bleeding compared with aspirin alone, according to results of the THEMIS trial presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.

PARIS — New data from the POPular AGE study support the use of clopidogrel over ticagrelor and prasugrel, based on significant reduction in bleeding, in patients aged 70 years and older with non-ST-elevation ACS.

In patients with prior atrial fibrillation undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, 6 months of uninterrupted antiplatelet therapy, with or without concomitant oral anticoagulation, was associated with a reduced risk of stroke at 2 years, whereas oral anticoagulation alone did not reduce risk in this population.

Patients with hypertension and residual high platelet reactivity with clopidogrel had an increased risk for MACE at 2 years after PCI, according to results from the ADAPT-DES study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.

In recent years, data have emerged showing a variety of medical therapies can improve outcomes of patients with peripheral artery disease.