Antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and percutaneous coronary intervention: what has changed in the guidelines in 2020?

Abstract

The article presents an analytical review of the studies aimed at determining the optimal antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing elective or emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to the development of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The results of the WOEST study are analysed. This study was the first to demonstrate an opportunity to safely discontinue administration of aspirin as part of the multicomponent antithrombotic therapy that included warfarin as an anticoagulant. Three studies were analysed - PIONEER AF-PCI, RE-DUAL-PCI and AUGUSTUS, where direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) - rivaroxaban, dabigatran and apixaban were used as anticoagulants as part of the multicomponent therapy. The results of these studies formed the backbone of the updated European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation, 2020. The guidelines offer to divide patients with AF and ACS, who require multicomponent antithrombotic therapy, into two categories. The first group includes AF patients with uncomplicated PCI without a high risk of stent thrombosis, as well as patients with a risk of bleeding that prevails over the risk of stent thrombosis. The second category of patients, in contrast, is characterized by a high risk of stent thrombosis, which prevails over the risk of bleeding. In the absence of contraindications, the patients of both categories should choose DOAC as an anticoagulant and be prescribed clopidogrel as a P2Y12 inhibitor for 12 months. In AF patients with uncomplicated PCI without a high risk of stent thrombosis, as well as in patients with a risk of bleeding, which prevails over the risk of stent thrombosis, the period of treatment with the second antiplatelet drug (aspirin) should belimited to the hospital stay. Patients at increased risk of stent thrombosis and reduced risk of bleeding can extend the aspirin therapy for 1 month. The approaches to the choice of the duration and composition of the multicomponent antithrombotic therapy in AF patients taking oral anticoagulants after elective PCI are similar to those in ACS patients, except for the duration of clopidogrel therapy, which is reduced to 6 months in all patients.