• Gilles Montalescot, Stephen D Wiviott, Eugene Braunwald, Sabina A Murphy, C Michael Gibson, Carolyn H McCabe, Elliott M Antman, and TRITON-TIMI 38 investigators.
• Institute of Cardiology, INSERM U856, Université Paris 6, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), Paris, France.
• Lancet. 2009 Feb 28; 373 (9665): 723731723-31.

BackgroundMechanical reperfusion with stenting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is supported by dual antiplatelet treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel. Prasugrel, a potent and rapid-acting thienopyridine, is a potential alternative to clopidogrel. We aimed to assess prasugrel versus clopidogrel in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI.MethodsWe undertook a double-blind, randomised controlled trial in 707 sites in 30 countries. 3534 participants presenting with STEMI were randomly assigned by interactive voice response system either prasugrel (60 mg loading, 10 mg maintenance [n=1769]) or clopidogrel (300 mg loading, 75 mg maintenance [n=1765]) and were unaware of the allocation. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke. Efficacy analyses were by intention to treat. Follow-up was to 15 months, with secondary analyses at 30 days. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00097591.FindingsAt 30 days, 115 (6.5%) individuals assigned prasugrel had met the primary endpoint compared with 166 (9.5%) allocated clopidogrel (hazard ratio 0.68 [95% CI 0.54-0.87]; p=0.0017). This effect continued to 15 months (174 [10.0%] vs 216 [12.4%]; 0.79 [0.65-0.97]; p=0.0221). The key secondary endpoint of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or urgent target vessel revascularisation was also significantly reduced with prasugrel at 30 days (0.75 [0.59-0.96]; p=0.0205) and 15 months (0.79 [0.65-0.97]; p=0.0250), as was stent thrombosis. Treatments did not differ with respect to thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) major bleeding unrelated to coronary-artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery at 30 days (p=0.3359) and 15 months (p=0.6451). TIMI life-threatening bleeding and TIMI major or minor bleeding were also similar with the two treatments, and only TIMI major bleeding after CABG surgery was significantly increased with prasugrel (p=0.0033).InterpretationIn patients with STEMI undergoing PCI, prasugrel is more effective than clopidogrel for prevention of ischaemic events, without an apparent excess in bleeding.

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