Clopidogrel and aspirin
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Synthelabo's Plavix antiplatelet agent has additional benefits when combined with aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndromes, researchers report in Aug. 16 NEJM. Salim Yusuf, PhD, McMaster University, et al., report death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal MI or stroke occurred in 9.3% of patients taking clopidogrel and aspirin, compared with 11.4% death rate in patients taking placebo and aspirin. Although major bleeding was significantly more common in clopidogrel group (3.7% vs. 2.7% in placebo arm), Yusuf et al. say excess risk of bleeding "is similar to that observed with aspirin alone." Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assigned 12,562 patients to either 75 mg/day clopidogrel or placebo, in addition to 75 mg-325 mg aspirin daily