Abstract-The optimal regimen of the anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies in patients with atrial fibrillation who have had a coronary stent is unclear. It is well recognized that "triple therapy" with aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin is associated with an increased risk of bleeding. National guidelines have not made specific recommendations, given the lack of adequate data. In choosing the best antithrombotic options for a patient, consideration needs to be given to the risks of stroke, stent thrombosis, and major bleeding. This executive summary describes these risks, provides specific recommendations concerning vascular access, stent choice, concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors, and the use and duration of triple therapy after stent placement, based on the risk assessment. (Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2011;4:522-534.)Key Words: atrial fibrillation Ⅲ antithrombotic therapy Ⅲ warfarin Ⅲ triple therapy Ⅲ stent T he optimal regimen of the anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have had a coronary stent is unclear. 1,2 It is estimated that 5-7% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have AF or other indications for chronic oral anticoagulant therapy. 3-5 These patients pose a significant dilemma for the interventional cardiologist because the combination of oral anticoagulants with aspirin and clopidogrel ("triple therapy") during follow-up has been reported to result in an increase risk of major bleeding. 6 Major bleeding is a serious complication that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality particularly when it occurs shortly after a stent procedure. 7,8 In one study among patients on triple therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin, major bleeding occurred in 4.7%, and approximately 50% of these patients died within 6 months. 9
Editorial see p 410The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ ESC) guidelines have been cautious to recommend triple therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel, and oral anticoagulation) in patients with AF undergoing PCI due to the increased bleeding risk and limited information about the safety and efficacy of this treatment regimen. 10 Currently, the use of triple therapy is classified as a class IIb recommendation (may be considered) with a level of evidence C (expert opinion). 10,11 Recently, the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis published a consensus document on the management of these patients. 12,13 The authors conducted a careful review of the available studies and made a number of specific recommendations that have been supported by the ESC guidelines for the management of AF. 14 They tempered these recommendations since they were largely based on expert opinion. The current document provides a North American view of the issues and is the opinion of select experts in the United States and Canada. Because much of the background information has been previously published in the ESC consensus document, prior studies will not be extensively ...