Efficacy and safety of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel with different dosages in acute coronary syndrome patients with high GRACE and CRUSADE scores

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and different dosages of clopidogrel after acute coronary syndrome. MethodsWe compared different antiplatelet strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular events in 1939 patients admitted to the hospital with an acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). ResultsAt 24 months, a survival analysis showed that ticagrelor and double-dose clopidogrel decreased the incidence of MACCE (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization and stroke) (p < 0.001, p = 0.012, respectively). Although double-dose clopidogrel obviously increased the risk of major bleeding (p < 0.001), a similar result was not observed in the ticagrelor group (p = 0.398). These two stronger antiplatelet strategies also decreased the incidence of myocardial infarction (p = 0.004 and 0.045, respectively). The advantages of ticagrelor are also evident in the endpoints of all cause death and target vessel revascularization. The NACCE (a composite of all-cause death, MI, stroke and major bleeding) rate was also reduced in the ticagrelor group (p = 0.004). ConclusionsIn PCI patients with a high ischemic and bleeding risk, the ticagrelor antiplatelet strategy significantly reduced the MACCE rate without increasing the risk of major bleeding. A decreased MACCE rate was also observed in patients administered the double dosage of clopidogrel, but the bleeding risk was increased compared with the control group.