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Published on: February 28, 2012
Triple oral antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation and coronary artery stenting
Grant W Reed1, Christopher P Cannon
1Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Insights
Patients with atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome need careful management of triple oral antithrombotic therapy to balance stroke prevention and bleeding risk after stenting.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) require oral anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) post-coronary stenting.
- Concurrent use of these agents, known as triple oral antithrombotic therapy (TAT), substantially elevates bleeding risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on the risks and benefits of TAT in AF patients undergoing coronary stenting.
- To identify gaps in knowledge regarding optimal TAT strategies and duration.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent evidence on TAT in AF patients post-ACS and stenting.
- Discussion of clinical risk scores for predicting stroke, bleeding, and stent thrombosis.
- Identification of areas requiring further research.
Main Results:
- TAT significantly increases bleeding risk in AF patients post-ACS and stenting.
- Current clinical practice relies heavily on expert opinion due to limited evidence.
- Risk stratification tools can aid in predicting adverse events.
Conclusions:
- Optimal TAT combination and duration remain undefined for AF patients with ACS post-stenting.
- Further research is crucial to establish evidence-based guidelines for balancing antithrombotic therapy efficacy and safety.
- Personalized risk assessment is key in managing these complex patients.
Abstract:
Patients with atrial fibrillation affected by an acute coronary syndrome have indications for oral anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate receptor inhibitor after coronary artery stenting. The concurrent use of all 3 agents, termed triple oral antithrombotic therapy, significantly increases the risk of bleeding. To date, there is a lack of evidence on the proper combination and duration of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents in patients with indications for both therapies. As such, care has been guided by expert opinion, and there is wide variation in clinician practice. In this review, the latest evidence on the risks and benefits of triple oral antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation after coronary artery stenting is summarized. We discuss the clinical risk scores useful in guiding the prediction of stroke, bleeding, and stent thrombosis. Additionally, we highlight where additional evidence is needed to determine the proper balance of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents in this patient population.
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