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 .
A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Effects of Policosanol in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol , a new cholesterol-lowering drug with concomitant antiplatelet effects , in patients with inter mittent claudication . After a baseline period of 6 weeks , 62 patients were r and omized to receive , under double-blind conditions , either placebo ( 31 patients ) or policosanol ( 31 ) , 10 mg twice daily . Walking distances in a treadmill ( constant speed 3.2 km/hr , slope 10 ° ) were assessed before and after 6 months of treatment . Both groups were similar at r and omization . Policosanol increased significantly ( p<0.01 ) the initial claudication distance from 132.5 ±13.5 m ( baseline ) to 205.7 ±36.3 m ( after therapy ) and the absolute claudication distance ( p<0.0001 ) from 229.5 ±22.0 m to 365.4 _ ±46.9 m ; meanwhile both variables remained unchanged in the placebo group ( p<0.05 ) . The reduction of lower limb symptoms showed a greater benefit in the policosanol group . There was no significant change in either group in the ankle/arm pressure ratio . The treatment was well tolerated . There were 10 discontinuations ( seven placebo , three poli- cosanol ) from the study . Six withdrawals occurred because of adverse events ( AE ) ; all were in placebo patients . There were five serious vascular AEs in the placebo group but none in the policosanol group ( p<0.05 ) . Overall , 12/31 ( 38.7 % ) placebo patients and 3/31 ( 9.7 % ) policosanol patients experienced AEs after r and omization , which showed a lesser incidence of AEs in the policosanol group ( p<0.01 ) . The present study demon strates a beneficial effect of policosanol in patients with intermittent claudication
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 .