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Should high risk patients receive clopidogrel as well as aspirin post coronary arterial bypass grafting?

^a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK
^b Department of Cardiology, Lincoln Medical Health Center, New York, USA

*Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +44-780-1548122.

E-mail address: joeldunning{at}doctors.org.uk (J. Dunning).

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether clopidogrel should be given in addition to aspirin in high risk patients after coronary bypass surgery to reduce thrombotic complications. High risk patients would include patients recently post MI or patients with a patent stent in situ. Altogether 511 papers were identified using the below mentioned search and all major international guidelines were included. Eleven presented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, journal, date and country of publication, patient group, relevant outcomes and weaknesses were tabulated. The 2004 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines recommend 9–12 months of clopidogrel in addition to aspirin for patients undergoing coronary arterial bypass grafting (CABG) for non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (grade 1C). This is based on subanalyses of the CURE and CAPRIE studies that showed significant reductions in the incidence of death, myocardial infarction and stroke in patients who had CABG during these trials. A randomised trial is currently underway to investigate this further. Thus, patients post CABG who have had a recent NSTEMI or have a stent not covered by a graft should have clopidogrel in addition to aspirin for 9–12 months.

Key Words: Clopidogrel; Cardiac surgical procedures; Antiplatelet therapy

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