With high-dose clopidogrel, the intravenous anti-platelet drug appears
unnecessary
CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the years, interventional
cardiologists have made many improvements in percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI) for patients with heart attack, among the most
important, refinements in the selection and administration of drugs that
prevent unwanted blood clotting. Now a new study has found that high
loading doses of clopidogrel, an oral medication that inhibits blood clots
by preventing platelets from clumping together, can eliminate the need for
intravenous abciximab, a standard cath-lab drug that also interferes with
platelets, but through a different pathway.
The BRAVE-3 study is the first to test the influence of high-dose
clopidogrel on the value of abciximab exclusively in patients with
ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a serious form of heart attack.
The study is being reported today in a Late-Breaking Clinical Trials
session at the SCAI Annual Scientific Sessions in Partnership with ACC i2
Summit (SCAI-ACCi2) in Chicago. SCAI-ACCi2 is a scientific meeting for
practicing cardiovascular interventionalists sponsored by the Society for
Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) in partnership with the
American College of Cardiology (ACC).
"Acute myocardial infarction is a major medical problem, and the
present study will help to define the optimal treatment strategy," said
Julinda Mehilli, MD, an associate professor and staff cardiologist at
Deutsches Herzzentrum, Technical University, Munich, Germany. "Therapy
without abciximab would certainly be more cost-effective and reduce the
risk of bleeding complications."
For the study Dr. Mehilli and colleagues recruited 800 patients with
STEMI who were undergoing PCI. All patients were pretreated with 600 mg of
clopidogrel and then randomly assigned to receive intravenous abciximab or
a placebo during the procedure.
The study was designed primarily to compare how the two treatment
strategies affected the final amount of heart attack damage, as gauged by
blood flow in the heart muscle on a nuclear scan five to 10 days later. The
researchers found no difference between the two groups: The damage involved
10 percent of the left ventricle, on average, in the abciximab group and 9
percent of the left ventricle in the placebo group. In addition, the 30-day
combined rates of death, heart attack, stroke and urgent repeat coronary
procedures were similar in the two groups (5 percent and 3.8 percent,
respectively).
"For patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing
primary coronary intervention after pre-treatment with a 600-mg loading
dose of clopidogrel, the additional use of abciximab is not associated with
any measurable benefit after 30 days," Dr. Mehilli said.
Dr. Mehilli will present the results of the BRAVE-3 study on Sunday,
March 30 at 8:30 a.m. CDT in the Grand Ballroom, S100.
About SCAI
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Society for Cardiovascular
Angiography and Interventions is a 4,000-member professional organization
representing invasive and interventional cardiologists in over 60 nations.
SCAI's mission is to promote excellence in invasive and interventional
cardiovascular medicine through physician education and representation, and
advancement of quality standards to enhance patient care. SCAI's annual
meeting has become the leading venue for education, discussion, and debate
about the latest developments in this dynamic medical specialty.
About ACC
The American College of Cardiology is leading the way to optimal
cardiovascular care and disease prevention. The College is a 34,000-member
nonprofit medical society and bestows the credential Fellow of the American
College of Cardiology upon physicians who meet its stringent
qualifications. The College is a leader in the formulation of health
policy, standards and guidelines, and is a staunch supporter of
cardiovascular research. The ACC provides professional education and
operates national registries for the measurement and improvement of quality
care.
See Also
- Advantages of Swimming
- Female Body Building Pictures
- How to Color your Hair?
- How to buy Lipitor online?
Via: Healthcare
0 коментарі:
Post a Comment