Aspirin Plus Plavix Disappoints In Heart Attack Prevention

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Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Stroke
Article Date: 13 Mar 2006 - 15:00 PST

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According to researchers at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Congress yesterday, aspirin may help people who have already had a heart attack. However, if you have never had a heart attack, aspirin may not be that useful in preventing one.

The researchers had carried out a study on combining aspirin with Plavix, a blood-thinning drug. They found that there was no benefit for preventing heart attacks, except for people who already had heart disease - even then the benefit was modest.

This 28-month study looked at 15,600 patients over the age of 45. Apart from finding no evidence of protection from heart attack or stroke, there were indications smokers and patients with diabetes may actually be harmed.

You can read about this trial in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Deepak Bhatt, M.D., Cleveland Clinic, spoke on behalf of colleagues in the CHARISMA (Clopidogrel for High Atherothrombotic Risk and Ischemic Stabilization, Management, and Avoidance) trial.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today


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