Heart Disease In The News

Clopidogrel plus aspirin reduces risk
March 21, 2001

In a multi-center study presented this week at the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions in Orlando, investigators report that the anti-platelet drug clopidogrel (marketed as Plavix,) when added to to therapy with aspirin, significantly improves the outcome of patients with unstable angina (the same problem experienced by Dick Cheney in November.)  

In this study, over 12,500 patients with unstable angina were randomized to therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin, versus aspirin alone.  Among patients treated with clopidogrel, there was a 20% reduction at one year in the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke.  These results were highly statistically significant.  The only side effect seen from adding clopidogrel was a 1% increase in major - but non-life-threatening - bleeding events.

Clopidogrel therapy should be continued for at least a year, based on this study.  The approximate cost of clopidogrel in the U.S. is $3 per day.

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