Antiplatelet agents have a beneficial effect in reducing all cause mortality and fatal cardiovascular events in patients with IC .
BACKGROUND Peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) is common and is a marker of systemic atherosclerosis .
Patients with symptoms of intermittent claudication ( IC ) are at increased risk of cardiovascular events ( myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) and stroke ) and of both cardiovascular and all cause mortality .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of antiplatelet agents in reducing mortality ( all cause and cardiovascular ) and cardiovascular events in patients with intermittent claudication .
Use of Abciximab and Tirofiban in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease and Arterial Thrombosis
Acute peripheral arterial occlusive disease is an important factor affecting the mobility and mortality rate of elderly patients . Catheter-guided arterial thrombolysis in these patients has its limitations : long lysis times , early occlusions , and high restenosis rates . The study investi gated whether the use of tirofiban has the same favorable effect as the glycoprotein ( GP ) IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist abciximab and whether lysis times can be shortened and the disease course positively influenced by these substances . Sixty patients were r and omly assigned to 2 groups . Each group received 5 mg recombinant tissue-type ( rt-PA ) plasminogen activator by slow intra-arterial injection for 10 minutes followed by 5 mg rt-PA per hour and 500 IU heparin per hour IV . After r and omization 1 group received a bolus of 0.25 mg abciximab per kg body weight followed by 10 mg per minute IV for 12 hours ( heparin was reduced to 250 IU/hr ) . The other group received a bolus of 0.4 μg tirofiban per kg body weight as well as postinterventional medication with 0.1 μg tirofiban per minute and kg body weight for 24 hours . During medication with GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor , the patients received a reduced heparin dosage for 24 hours . After 24 hours both groups received 200 mg aspirin orally and full heparinization controlled on the basis of the partial thromboplastin time . The following efficacy criteria were analyzed : rehospitalization events , reintervention events , and amputations within 6 months . Secondary endpoints were changes in the Fontaine stage , the crurobrachial index , the distance to claudication , and the duration of local arterial lysis . No significant differences were found between the abciximab and tirofiban groups in terms of the rehospitalization , rein tervention , or amputation rates , nor were there any group differences in the total number of events . The secondary parameters , such as the crurobrachial index , distance to claudication , and Fontaine stage , also showed no significant differences between the 2 groups within 6 months . The duration of lysis was significantly shorter in the abciximab group . Major bleeding events did not occur in either group . With regard to the adverse effect rate , there were no significant differences between the 2 groups . Both abciximab and tirofiban can be used successfully in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and arterial thrombosis
Antiplatelet agents have a beneficial effect in reducing all cause mortality and fatal cardiovascular events in patients with IC .
BACKGROUND Peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) is common and is a marker of systemic atherosclerosis .
Patients with symptoms of intermittent claudication ( IC ) are at increased risk of cardiovascular events ( myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) and stroke ) and of both cardiovascular and all cause mortality .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of antiplatelet agents in reducing mortality ( all cause and cardiovascular ) and cardiovascular events in patients with intermittent claudication .