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 .
Prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke in patients with intermittent claudication; effects of ticlopidine. Results from STIMS, the Swedish Ticlopidine Multicentre Study.
The Swedish Ticlopidine Multicentre Study ( STIMS ) was a double-blind placebo-controlled trial design ed to determine whether ticlopidine , a platelet antiaggregatory agent , reduces the incidence of myocardial infa rct ion , stroke and transitory ischaemic attacks in patients with intermittent claudication . A total of 687 patients was monitored for a minimum of 5 years or until an end-point was reached . The number of end points ( 99 vs. 89 ) , analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle , was 11.4 % lower in the ticlopidine group ( P = 0.24 ) . The mortality rate was 29.1 % lower in the ticlopidine group ( 64 vs. 89 , P = 0.015 ) ; this observation could be accounted for by a reduced mortality from ischaemic heart disease . On-treatment analysis showed there to be significantly fewer end points in the ticlopidine group ( 47 vs. 76 , P = 0.017 ) . Diarrhoea was the most common side-effect . Reversible leucopenia or thrombocytopenia was reported in seven patients on ticlopidine . It is concluded that the high morbidity and mortality from cardio- and cerebrovascular disease in patients with intermittent claudication can be reduced by long-term treatment with ticlopidine
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 .