Ticagrelor for STEMI Patients Treated with Fibrinolytic Therapy

Although primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an increasingly common treatment for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), many STEMI patients continue to be treated with fibrinolytic therapy around the world. Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is effective in reducing risk for ischemic events in patients with STEMI treated with fibrinolytic therapy (e.g., N Engl J Med 2005; 352:1179).

To determine whether the oral P2Y₁₂ inhibitor ticagrelor is more effective than clopidogrel in this setting, researchers conducted an industry-funded, international, randomized, open-label, phase III trial (TREAT; NCT02298088) involving 3799 STEMI patients younger than 75 (mean age, 58; 77% men) receiving fibrinol…