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The EUROPA trial: design, baseline demography and status of the substudies
Insights
The EUROPA trial investigated perindopril in stable coronary artery disease patients. This study assessed long-term cardiac events, evaluating perindopril
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are known to reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with left ventricular dysfunction, myocardial infarction, and hypertension.
- Long-term effects of ACE-I in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remain under investigation.
- The EUROPA study focuses on stable CAD without heart failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term efficacy of perindopril in reducing cardiac events in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
- To assess the effects of perindopril on various aspects of CAD, including endothelial function, atherosclerosis, diabetes, inflammation, thrombosis, and neurohormonal activation.
Main Methods:
- The EUROPA study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial involving 12,236 patients.
- Patients underwent a 4-week run-in period with perindopril to assess tolerance.
- Following randomization, patients received either perindopril or placebo, with follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 6-monthly intervals.
Main Results:
- The abstract does not contain specific results, as the study's final results were expected in 2002.
Conclusions:
- The abstract does not contain specific conclusions, as the study's final results were expected in 2002.
Background:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors do reduce both mortality and morbidity in patients with left ventricular dysfunction, recent myocardial infarction and hypertension. However, the long-term effects in patients with coronary artery disease have not been established. The EUROPA study is designed to assess the long-term (3-4 years) effects of perindopril on the reduction of cardiac events in patients with proven stable coronary artery disease but with no evidence of heart failure.
Study Design And Methods:
EUROPA is a 12236 patient, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and multicentre trial. EUROPA had an initial run-in period of 4 weeks during which patients received 4 and then 8 mg of perindopril daily to assess tolerance to maximum dose. This was followed by a double-blind randomisation to either perindopril or placebo. Patients were followed-up at 3 and 6 months and then 6 monthly until the last patient included in the main study completes the 3-year follow-up. EUROPA includes five sub-studies. Each of these sub-studies investigates the effects of perindopril on a different aspect of coronary artery disease: endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis progression regression, diabetes mellitus, inflammation, thrombosis, neurohormonal activation. Patients are characterised genetically to assess characteristics associated with improved or unfavourable outcome. The final results of EUROPA will be available in 2002.