In patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), an antithrombotic regimen of double therapy with a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) plus a P2Y12 inhibitor antiplatelet agent such as clopidogrel (Plavix, Bristol-Myers Squibb) is the preferred treatment option, a new network meta-analysis suggests.
The analysis of four randomized trials comparing different combinations of anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs found that the NOAC/P2Y12 inhibitor combination was associated with fewer bleeding complications — including intracranial hemorrhage — without a significant difference in ischemic events compared with regimens including a vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant (such as warfarin) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT; aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor).
The analysis was published online June 19 in JAMA Cardiology.
JAMA Cardiol. Published online June 19, 2019. Abstract
