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 .
[Dose-dependent side effects of acetylsalicylic acid therapy. Results of a prospective randomized clinical study in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease].
BACKGROUND AND METHODS In 359 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease who had undergone percutaneous transluminal angioplasty ( PTA )  , a r and omized double-blind , controlled clinical study was done to investigate the tolerability of acetyl salicylic acid ( ASA ) given for reocclusion prophylaxis . A comparison was made between a conventional daily dose of 900 mg ASA and a dose of 50 mg ASA . RESULTS Within an observation period of one year following PTA , 35 patients ( 20 % ) in the 900 mg group , and 32 patients ( 17 % ) in the 50 mg group left the trial because of side effects ( p = NS ) . Under the higher dose , however , severe gastrointestinal side effects ( ulcer , haemorrhagic gastritis requiring transfusion ) were significantly more common ( nine patients delta 5.1 % vs two patients delta 1.1 % , respectively ; p = 0.03 ) . Overall , 107 patients ( 30 % ) reported subjective side effects such as upper abdominal pain , a sensation of fullness or nausea during the course of the trial . 62 of these patients were from the 900 mg group ( 35 % ) as compared with 45 patients ( 24 % ) in the 50 mg group ( p = 0.02 ) . Self-scoring of epigastric pain on the basis of a visual analogue scale revealed a score of 1.3 ( 95 % confidence interval 0.9 to 1.6 ) in the 900 mg group and 0.8 ( 95 % confidence interval 0.6 to 1.0 ) in the 50 mg group . The subjective pain intensity showed a uniform time course for all three types of symptom , with a maximum after three months . CONCLUSION Our results confirm the superior tolerability of the lower dose , in particular in elderly patients . For long-term treatment , the smallest possible effective dose should be chosen
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 .