A randomized trial to compare the safety of rivaroxaban vs aspirin in addition to either clopidogrel or ticagrelor in acute coronary syndrome: The design of the GEMINI-ACS-1 phase II study

Publication date: April 2016 Source:American Heart Journal, Volume 174 Author(s): Thomas J. Povsic, Matthew T. Roe, Erik Magnus Ohman, Philippe Gabriel Steg, Stefan James, Alexei Plotnikov, Hardi Mundl, Robert Welsh, Christoph Bode, Charles Michael Gibson Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), the combination of aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor, given for 12 months remains the standard of care after presentation with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) because it has been shown to be associated with a significant reduction in ischemic events compared with aspirin monotherapy. The factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban was shown to be associated with a significant reduction in the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, and resulted in a nominal reduction in cardiovascular death, when added to background DAPT in the ATLAS ACS 2–TIMI 51 trial; however, there was excessive bleeding with this “triple-therapy” approach. The combination of rivaroxaban with P2Y12 inhibition in a “dual-pathway” approach may be an effective therapeutic regimen for the treatment of ACS, given the known importance of P2Y12 inhibition after stenting and intriguing data that the combination of an anticoagulant with clopidogrel after stenting in patients with atrial fibrillation appears an attractive option to this patient population. GEMINI-ACS-1 is a prospective, randomized, double-dummy, double-blind, active-controlled trial that will assess the safety of dual ...
Source: American Heart Journal - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research