Patients At Increased Risk Of Heart Attack Within 3 Months After Stopping Clopidogrel Therapy, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2008) — Patients who receive the anti-platelet medication clopidogrel following an acute coronary syndrome (such as heart attack) appear to be at greater risk of a heart attack or death in the first 90 days after stopping clopidogrel treatment, according to a new study. Randomized trials have established the effectiveness of clopidogrel therapy following hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) for patients treated either medically or with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI - procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries). Current cardiology guidelines recommend clopidogrel therapy for ideally up to 1 year for patients treated medically or with a bare metal stent, according to background information in the article. It is unknown whether there may be a "rebound effect" or concentration of thrombotic events shortly after stopping treatment with clopidogrel, as has been found for patients after long-term aspirin therapy.