Loading...
Many surgeons believe that clopidogrel raises risk for perioperative bleeding complications. To test this belief, researchers analyzed data in a U.S. multicenter registry of 10,000 vascular surgery cases representing 66 surgeons. Surgeries included in the database were carotid endarterectomy (51%), lower extremity bypass (28%), endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA; 11%), and open AAA repair (11%).
Within 48 hours before surgery, 69% of patients were taking aspirin alone, 2% were taking clopidogrel alone, 10% were taking both, and 19% were taking neither drug. The incidence of reoperation for bleeding was similar among all four groups — about 1%. In addition, no significant between-group differences were observed in the need …