Loading...
Treatment with antiplatelet agents (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel) and anticoagulants (e.g., heparin) improves early outcomes in many acute coronary syndromes. In addition, the rate of subsequent events remains distressingly high, and this fact has spurred interest in new anticoagulant drugs, such as the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran (Journal Watch Nov 7 2003).
In an international, industry-sponsored, randomized, dose-ranging study, ximelagatran was compared with placebo in 1883 patients with recent ST-segment- or non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. All patients received aspirin, and most received β-blockers, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, and statins.
Ximelagatran significantly reduced the composite primary …