Bleeding risk ‘predicts ticagrelor benefit’

Cardiologists have pinpointed two risk factors that could assist clinical decision-making on dual antiplatelet therapy
Clare Pain
senior man taking pills

Anaemia and a history of spontaneous gastrointestinal bleeds requiring hospitalisation are independent risk factors for bleeds in patients taking ticagrelor plus aspirin post-MI, researchers have found.

A post-hoc analysis of the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial has shown patients with these risk factors have three times the risk of bleeds on the dual antiplatelet regimen compared with those without the risk factors, the US investigators say.