[Antithrombotic treatment in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Which drugs and for how long?]

Stable chronic coronary artery disease (SCAD) encompasses several groups of patients including those with stable angina pectoris or other symptoms thought to be linked to CAD as well as patients with known prior acute coronary syndrome or prior coronary interventions, who have become asymptomatic with treatment and need regular follow-up. Patients with SCAD have an elevated risk for subsequent ischemic events and significantly benefit not only from lipid-lowering therapy with statins but also in particular from long-term antithrombotic treatment. These patients therefore need lifelong antithrombotic treatment with 100 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) daily whereby clopidogrel 75 mg daily is indicated as an alternative in cases of aspirin intolerance. As chronic CAD may present with very different developmental phases spanning from chronic stable phases to acute coronary syndromes, antithrombotic treatment in SCAD patients needs continuous evaluation and adaptation. In addition, new concomitant diseases, such as atrial fibrillation may necessitate further adaptation of antithrombotic therapy. The current overview focuses on the description of the long-term antithrombotic treatment of SCAD as well as on the need for adaptation in the setting of elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).