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 .
The prevention of progression of arterial disease and diabetes (POPADAD) trial: factorial randomised placebo controlled trial of aspirin and antioxidants in patients with diabetes and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease
Objective To determine whether aspirin and antioxidant therapy , combined or alone , are more effective than placebo in reducing the development of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes mellitus and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease . Design Multicentre , r and omised , double blind , 2 × 2 factorial , placebo controlled trial . Setting 16 hospital centres in Scotl and , supported by 188 primary care groups . Participants 1276 adults aged 40 or more with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and an ankle brachial pressure index of 0.99 or less but no symptomatic cardiovascular disease . Interventions Daily , 100 mg aspirin tablet plus antioxidant capsule ( n=320 ) , aspirin tablet plus placebo capsule ( n=318 ) , placebo tablet plus antioxidant capsule ( n=320 ) , or placebo tablet plus placebo capsule ( n=318 ) . Main outcome measures Two hierarchical composite primary end points of death from coronary heart disease or stroke , non-fatal myocardial infa rct ion or stroke , or amputation above the ankle for critical limb ischaemia ; and death from coronary heart disease or stroke . Results No evidence was found of any interaction between aspirin and antioxidant . Overall , 116 of 638 primary events occurred in the aspirin groups compared with 117 of 638 in the no aspirin groups ( 18.2 % v 18.3 % ) : hazard ratio 0.98 ( 95 % confidence interval 0.76 to 1.26 ) . Forty three deaths from coronary heart disease or stroke occurred in the aspirin groups compared with 35 in the no aspirin groups ( 6.7 % v 5.5 % ) : 1.23 ( 0.79 to 1.93 ) . Among the antioxidant groups 117 of 640 ( 18.3 % ) primary events occurred compared with 116 of 636 ( 18.2 % ) in the no antioxidant groups ( 1.03 , 0.79 to 1.33 ) . Forty two ( 6.6 % ) deaths from coronary heart disease or stroke occurred in the antioxidant groups compared with 36 ( 5.7 % ) in the no antioxidant groups ( 1.21 , 0.78 to 1.89 ) . Conclusion This trial does not provide evidence to support the use of aspirin or antioxidants in primary prevention of cardiovascular events and mortality in the population with diabetes studied . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N53295293
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 .