Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis
-
J. Thromb. Thrombolysis · Nov 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRelationship between postoperative clopidogrel use and subsequent angiographic and clinical outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting.
Dual antiplatelet therapy with both aspirin and clopidogrel is increasingly used after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); however, little is known about the safety or efficacy. We sought to determine the relationship between postoperative clopidogrel and clinical and angiographic outcomes following CABG. We evaluated 3,014 patients from PREVENT IV who underwent CABG at 107 US sites. ⋯ In this observational analysis, clopidogrel use was not associated with better 5-year outcomes following CABG. There may be better outcomes with clopidogrel among patients having off-pump surgery. Adequately powered randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the role of dual antiplatelet therapy after CABG.