Cardiovascular therapeutics
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Meta Analysis
Optimal Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy after Drug-Eluting Stents: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.
The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after drug-eluting stent implantation (DES) is not certain. The AHA/ACC guidelines recommend 12 months of DAPT based on observational trials. Recently, several large randomized controlled trials (RCT) suggested a noninferiority of shorter duration of DAPT and other trials showed a benefit from extended duration of DAPT after 12 months of DES implantation. ⋯ DAPT continued beyond 6 months after second generation DES implantation decreases stent thrombosis and myocardial infarction, but increases major bleeding and all-causes mortality compared to shorter DAPT (aspirin alone). There was no difference in cardiac mortality or stroke.