Introduction:
Guidelines recommend dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for 12 months in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Information on patterns and duration of DAPT use after hospital discharge in ACS patients in Asia is sparse.
Objective:
We describe changes in real-life antithrombotic management patterns (AMPs) up to 2-y post discharge based on data from the EPICOR Asia study (NCT01361386).
Methods:
This observational study enrolled 12 922 hospital survivors post ACS from 218 hospitals in 8 countries/regions in Asia. Data were collected from symptom onset for the index event (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] 51.2%, non-STEMI (NSTEMI) 19.9%, or unstable angina [UA] 28.9%), during hospitalization, at discharge and over 2 y follow-up.
Results:
Overall, 90.6% of patients were on DAPT at hospital discharge which declined to 79.6%, 71.8%, 53.7%, and 45.6% at 6, 12, 18, and 23 months post discharge (Fig). At discharge, most patients (87.6%) received aspirin + clopidogrel, with 79.5%, 71.8%, 53.6%, and 45.4% on this combination at 6, 12, 18, and 23 months. At discharge only 3.0% of patients received aspirin + prasugrel and 1.7% of patients received aspirin + cilostazol. Only 8.3% of patients were on single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) at discharge with 12.2%, 15.6%, 28.1%, and 30.3% on SAPT at 6, 12, 18, and 23 months post discharge; aspirin being the most commonly used single agent. No notable differences were seen among index event groups. Of the patients on DAPT at discharge, STEMI 93.4%; NSTEMI 90.2%; UA 85.9%, comparable proportions across groups remained on DAPT at 23 months follow up; STEMI 51.0%; NSTEMI 51.9%; UA 47.6%.
Conclusions:
Most ACS patients remain on DAPT at 12 months and around half remain at 23 months post-discharge. Further study should assess between-country differences, the benefit/risk balance from prolonged DAPT, why DAPT is discontinued before 12 months, and impact on clinical outcomes.
Changes in secondary pharmacological prevention of acute coronary syndromes and stroke after hospital discharge: a 6-month follow-up study of German primary care patients