|
|
|||
BASKET-LATE
Study Shows Higher Rate of Cardiac Death and Heart Attack for Drug-Eluting Stents vs. Bare Metal Stents |
|||
March 14, 2006 -- This small study titled BASKET-LATE (Basel Stent Cost-effectiveness Trial—Late Thrombotic Events) was almost overlooked when presented on the final day of the American College of Cardiology annual meeting, but the conclusion of the study mirrors a concern that we here at Angioplasty.Org have been writing about -- the need for continued long term antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stents. Now, Dr. Matthias E. Pfisterer of University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland, has concluded that there is concern for patients with drug-eluting stents for a year or more AFTER stopping the recommended clopidogrel (Plavix) and aspirin therapy. The study tracked over 800 patients. Two-thirds had received drug-eluting stents, the remaining third got a bare metal stent. Clopidogrel (Plavix) was stopped at 6 months, as per current minimum recommendations. What the study revealed was that in the period after clopidogrel was stopped, thrombosis-related events (which are very serious) occurred twice as often in the drug-eluting stent patients, and that these events carried "4 times higher risk of cardiac death/MI vs non-thrombosis-related events". The worrisome statistic was that these increased thrombosis-related events were still occurring a year after stopping antiplatelet therapy. The authors concluded that "real-world DES use in 100 patients avoids 5 target vessel revascularization events at 6 months but leads to 3.3 late deaths or MI." Dr. William O'Neill of William Beaumont Medical Center in Michigan, commented to the cardiologists in the audience:
On theheart.org, Drs. Eric Topol and Rob Califf discuss the trial as well, and both agree on the concern. Dr. Califf states, "In my practice, if you get a drug-eluting stent, you're going to be on clopidogrel for life until more data come in." related stories:
|
|||
Angioplasty.Org Home • PatientCenter send comments & suggestions
to "info at angioplasty dot org" |