This result was not influenced by the dose of dipyridamole or type of presenting vascular disease .
For patients who presented with arterial vascular disease , there was no evidence that dipyridamole , in the presence or absence of another antiplatelet drug reduced the risk of vascular death , though it reduces the risk of further vascular events .
This benefit was found only in patients presenting after cerebral ischaemia .
There was no evidence that dipyridamole alone was more efficacious than aspirin
BACKGROUND Patients with limited cerebral ischaemia of arterial origin are at risk of serious vascular events ( 4 % to 11 % annually ) .
Aspirin reduces that risk by 13 % .
In one trial , adding dipyridamole to aspirin was associated with a 22 % risk reduction compared with aspirin alone .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and safety of dipyridamole versus control in the secondary prevention of vascular events in patients with vascular disease .
Frequent reocclusion of patent infarct-related arteries between 4 weeks and 1 year: effects of antiplatelet therapy.
OBJECTIVES This study assessed the effect of the combination of aspirin and dipyridamole on patency of the infa rct -related artery between 4 weeks and 1 year after myocardial infa rct ion . BACKGROUND Patency of the infa rct -related artery is an important determinant of prognosis after myocardial infa rct ion . The incidence of late reocclusion and the effects of antiplatelet therapy are unknown . METHODS To investigate the importance of antiplatelet therapy for the prevention of late reocclusion , 215 patients who had a patent infa rct -related artery 4 weeks after myocardial infa rct ion were r and omized in a double-blind manner to receive either a combination of 25 mg of aspirin and 200 mg of dipyridamole twice daily or placebo . One hundred fifty-four patients underwent further coronary arteriography 1 year later . RESULTS At 1 year , 38 ( 25 % ) of 154 patients had reocclusion of the infa rct -related artery ; 18 ( 23 % ) of 79 patients receiving aspirin and dipyridamole had late reocclusion versus 20 ( 27 % ) of 75 who received placebo ( p = NS ) . The rate of reocclusion was related to the severity of the residual coronary artery stenosis at 4 weeks ( < 50 % stenosis 9.2 % ; 50 % to 69 % stenosis 11.6 % ; 70 % to 89 % stenosis 30.4 % ; > or = 90 % stenosis 70 % , p < 0.01 ) . The majority of reocclusions were silent , and only 17 ( 45 % ) of 38 were clinical ly associated with further infa rct ion . There were no differences for a hierarchic end point of cardiac death , myocardial infa rct ion or revascularization ( 14.8 % aspirin and dipyridamole vs. 17.8 % placebo ) . CONCLUSIONS Late reocclusion of the patent infa rct -related artery is a frequent event , occurring in 25 % of patients . Antiplatelet therapy with the combination of aspirin and dipyridamole does not alter the overall rate of late reocclusion . Other strategies are required to reduce late reocclusion
This result was not influenced by the dose of dipyridamole or type of presenting vascular disease .
For patients who presented with arterial vascular disease , there was no evidence that dipyridamole , in the presence or absence of another antiplatelet drug reduced the risk of vascular death , though it reduces the risk of further vascular events .
This benefit was found only in patients presenting after cerebral ischaemia .
There was no evidence that dipyridamole alone was more efficacious than aspirin
BACKGROUND Patients with limited cerebral ischaemia of arterial origin are at risk of serious vascular events ( 4 % to 11 % annually ) .
Aspirin reduces that risk by 13 % .
In one trial , adding dipyridamole to aspirin was associated with a 22 % risk reduction compared with aspirin alone .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and safety of dipyridamole versus control in the secondary prevention of vascular events in patients with vascular disease .