Advisory: Premature Discontinuation of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Stenting

Experts from five major professional societies recommend dual antiplatelet therapy for 1 year after drug-eluting stent implantation.

Sponsoring Organizations: American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, American College of Surgeons, and American Dental Association

After bare-metal or drug-eluting stent (BMS, DES) implantation, dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus a thienopyridine, such as clopidogrel) markedly reduces the risk for adverse events due to stent thrombosis, compared with aspirin alone or warfarin. Experts from five major professional societies now give their advice about dual antiplatelet therapy after stenting.

Among the important points in the advisory are:

The average reported rate of subacute stent thrombosis with dual antiplatelet therapy is about 1%. However, with DES specificall…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD