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What Is the Optimal Duration of Antiplatelet Therapy for Patients with Coronary Heart Disease?

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Optimal duration of antiplatelet therapy continues to attract extensive debates and has been progressively adjusted in the setting of advancements in stent design and assessment of patient clinical characteristics. Given the ever-changing landscape of antiplatelet therapy and the multitude of clinical trials that have examined this duration, there are varying scenarios for optimal duration based on patient presentation and risk profile. This review highlights the current concepts and recommendations regarding duration of antiplatelet therapy in coronary heart disease.

Recent Findings

In particular, we review the current data on the use of dual antiplatelet therapy in the different clinical scenarios. Relatively longer dual antiplatelet therapy is perhaps limited to patients with higher risk for cardiovascular events and/or high-risk lesions and shorter durations of dual antiplatelet therapy have been shown to reduce bleeding complications at the same time as stabilization of ischemic endpoints.

Summary

More recent trials have demonstrated the safety of shorter durations of dual antiplatelet therapy in appropriate patients with coronary heart disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Towson, MD, USA

    Beryl Otieno

  2. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Chukwuka Ibecheozor

  3. Division of Cardiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 301 Mason Lord Drive, Suite 2400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Marlene S. Williams

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  1. Beryl Otieno
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Correspondence to Marlene S. Williams.

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Otieno, B., Ibecheozor, C. & Williams, M.S. What Is the Optimal Duration of Antiplatelet Therapy for Patients with Coronary Heart Disease?. Curr Atheroscler Rep 25, 343–350 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-023-01108-z

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