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Comment Learning from TARDIS: time for more focused trials in stroke prevention
Antithrombotic therapy immediately following stroke is important to minimise the risk of recurrence, but the optimum choice and number of drugs to use are unclear, and efficacy in preventing thrombosis needs to be weighed against bleeding risk. In The Lancet, the TARDIS investigators report findings from a randomised trial1 that tested intensive antiplatelet therapy with three agents (aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole) against therapy based on current UK guidelines2 (either clopidogrel, or aspirin plus dipyridamole) for 30 days in patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ischaemic stroke.
Source: LANCET - December 20, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Pierre Amarenco Tags: Comment Source Type: research

Articles Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole versus clopidogrel alone or aspirin and dipyridamole in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia (TARDIS): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trial
Among patients with recent cerebral ischaemia, intensive antiplatelet therapy did not reduce the incidence and severity of recurrent stroke or TIA, but did significantly increase the risk of major bleeding. Triple antiplatelet therapy should not be used in routine clinical practice.
Source: LANCET - December 20, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Philip M Bath, Lisa J Woodhouse, Jason P Appleton, Maia Beridze, Hanne Christensen, Robert A Dineen, Lelia Duley, Timothy J England, Katie Flaherty, Diane Havard, Stan Heptinstall, Marilyn James, Kailash Krishnan, Hugh S Markus, Alan A Montgomery, Stuart Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Articles Drug-eluting stents in elderly patients with coronary artery disease (SENIOR): a randomised single-blind trial
Among elderly patients who have PCI, a DES and a short duration of DAPT are better than BMS and a similar duration of DAPT with respect to the occurrence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and ischaemia-driven target lesion revascularisation. A strategy of combination of a DES to reduce the risk of subsequent repeat revascularisations with a short BMS-like DAPT regimen to reduce the risk of bleeding event is an attractive option for elderly patients who have PCI.
Source: LANCET - November 1, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Olivier Varenne, St éphane Cook, Georgios Sideris, Sasko Kedev, Thomas Cuisset, Didier Carrié, Thomas Hovasse, Philippe Garot, Rami El Mahmoud, Christian Spaulding, Gérard Helft, José F Diaz Fernandez, Salvatore Brugaletta, Eduardo Pinar-Bermudez, Jos Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Comment Preventing major gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly patients
Antiplatelet therapy is the most frequently recommended treatment to prevent recurrent ischaemic events in patients who have had an ischaemic stroke, an acute coronary syndrome, or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. The most frequently used drugs are aspirin or clopidogrel. Most guidelines recommend lifelong intake of antiplatelet therapy. However, randomised trials that have investigated the benefit of antiplatelet therapy had an observation period of between 2 years and 4 years.1 Therefore, we lack data on the long-term benefit and risk of antiplatelet therapy across long time periods, particularly in elderly patients.
Source: LANCET - June 13, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Hans-Christoph Diener Tags: Comment Source Type: research

Comment Can biomarkers balance stroke and bleeding risk?
Age and previous stroke, together with other clinical risk factors (often summarised in the CHA2DS2VASc score), identify patients with atrial fibrillation at high risk for stroke. Dose-adjusted warfarin prevents ischaemic strokes, prolongs life, and maintains autonomy in such patients.1,2 Hence, oral anticoagulation is currently recommended for all patients with atrial fibrillation with two of the CHA2DS2VASc risk factors, and should be considered in those with one of them.1,2 Although even reinitiation of anticoagulation after an intracerebral bleed seems to be associated with improved outcomes,3,4 bleeding is a major rea...
Source: LANCET - April 3, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Paulus Kirchhof, Larissa Fabritz Tags: Comment Source Type: research

Series Oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: current status, special situations, and unmet needs
In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists reduces the risk of stroke by more than 60%. But vitamin K antagonists have limitations, including causing serious bleeding such as intracranial haemorrhage and the need for anticoagulation monitoring. In part related to these limitations, they are used in only about half of patients who should be treated according to guideline recommendations. In the past decade, oral agents have been developed that directly block the activity of thrombin (factor IIa), as well as drugs that directly inhibit activated factor X (Xa), which is ...
Source: LANCET - March 14, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Freek W A Verheugt, Christopher B Granger Tags: Series Source Type: research

Correspondence New oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation
Christian Ruff and colleagues' meta-analysis reports substantial reductions in stroke and all-cause mortality by use of the new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) compared with warfarin for atrial fibrillation, justifying their increasing use, but also the unequivocal increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Furthermore, the trials included patients with a presumed low risk of gastrointestinal complications and therefore the true risk might be greater outside the clinical trial setting.
Source: LANCET - July 4, 2014 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Michael J R Desborough, Vipul Jairath Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research

Articles Comparison of the efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomised trials
This meta-analysis is the first to include data for all four new oral anticoagulants studied in the pivotal phase 3 clinical trials for stroke prevention or systemic embolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation. New oral anticoagulants had a favourable risk–benefit profile, with significant reductions in stroke, intracranial haemorrhage, and mortality, and with similar major bleeding as for warfarin, but increased gastrointestinal bleeding. The relative efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants was consistent across a wide range of patients.
Source: LANCET - March 14, 2014 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Christian T Ruff, Robert P Giugliano, Eugene Braunwald, Elaine B Hoffman, Naveen Deenadayalu, Michael D Ezekowitz, A John Camm, Jeffrey I Weitz, Basil S Lewis, Alexander Parkhomenko, Takeshi Yamashita, Elliott M Antman Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Comment Intermittent pneumatic compression in patients with stroke
A patient with acute stroke has just been admitted who is immobile, and cannot walk to the bathroom without help. Looking at the patient's unmoving legs the risk of thrombosis is clear, but a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) might lead to bleeding, and elastic compression stockings cause skin problems. So you settle on intermittent pneumatic compression devices (IPCs)—but do they actually prevent blood clots?
Source: LANCET - August 10, 2013 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Scott M Stevens, Scott C Woller Tags: Comment Source Type: research

Department of Error Department of Error
Lopes RD, Al-Khatib SM, Wallentin L, et al. Efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with warfarin according to patient risk of stroke and of bleeding in atrial fibrillation: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2012; 380: 1749–58—In table 3 and table 5 of this Article (Nov 17), the %s per person-year in the ischaemic stroke (overall results) row were incorrect. The values should have been 0·84% (apixaban) and 0·82% (warfarin) in both tables. These corrections have been made to the online version as of Jan 18, 2013.
Source: LANCET - January 18, 2013 Category: Journals (General) Authors: The Lancet Tags: Department of Error Source Type: research