The safety and efficacy of aspirin and clopidogrel as a combination treatment in patients with coronary heart disease.

Full Abstract

The use of aspirin and clopidogrel in combination has become part of the standard clinical care of patients with coronary artery disease. The use of this combination provides significant benefits compared with the use of aspirin alone in patients with acute coronary syndromes, and in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement (both bare metal and drug-eluting stents). Clinical trials have demonstrated significant efficacy of this dual therapy; however, there is the potential for significant bleeding complications from the synergistic antiplatelet effects. In total, it appears that when there is vessel injury (mechanical from perctutaneous coronary intervention or a ruptured plaque), dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel results in improved outcomes, albeit with a small but significant inherent risk of increased bleeding.

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Author information

Author/s: Cooke, Glen E (GE); Goldschmidt-Clermont, Pascal J (PJ);

Affiliation: Assistant Professor of Medicine, The Ohio State University, The Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA. glen.cooke(-atsign-)osumc.edu

Grants: K23 HL004483 (Agency:NHLBI NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Expert opinion on drug safety (Expert Opin Drug Saf), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Nov; vol 5 (issue 6) : pp 815-26

Dates: Created 2006/10/18; Completed 2007/01/08; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17044808, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aspirin - adverse effects; therapeutic use
Coronary Disease - drug therapy; epidemiology; prevention & control
Drug Therapy, Combination

Humans
Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - adverse effects; therapeutic use
Ticlopidine - adverse effects; analogs & derivatives; therapeutic use

Associated Chemicals: Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors (0) ; Aspirin (50-78-2) ; Ticlopidine (55142-85-3) ; clopidogrel (90055-48-4)

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