Clopidogrel Superior to Aspirin for Coronary Artery Disease

An international analysis of nearly 29,000 patients with coronary artery disease has found that the blood thinner clopidogrel reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death more than aspirin, without increasing the risk of major bleeding, researchers reported after presenting the results at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid and publishing them in The Lancet. The pooled study, which combined individual patient data from seven clinical trials, followed participants for an average of about 5.5 years and found a 14 percent lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events among those taking clopidogrel compared with aspirin.

Lead author Marco Valgimigli, a cardiologist and professor based in Switzerland, said this is the first definitive demonstration that clopidogrel is more effective and similarly safe than aspirin in patients with coronary artery disease. The analysis included patients treated after stent placement, those who had experienced acute coronary syndrome, and other diverse clinical subgroups, and investigators report the superiority of clopidogrel was consistent across these groups. The study team also said...