CONGRESS REPORT
Results
of
the
CURE
study
(50th Annual Scientific Session,
Orlando, 18-21 March 2001)
This year the 50th Annual Scientific Session ofthe American College of Cardiology took place in Orlando from 18-21 March 2001. In the first session on the most recent clinical trials, the long-awaited results of the CURE study were presented. In this study clopidogrel combined with aspirin was compared with aspirin alone in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). This design differed from the CAPRIE study (Clopidogrel vs. Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischaemic Events), an earlier major study with clopidogrel, in which 19,185 patients who either survived a stroke or myocardial infarction, or who had symptomatic peripheral artery disease were treated with either aspirin or clopidogrel. In the CAPRIE study the benefit of clopidogrel over aspirin was not overwhelming. Therefore, in the Netherlands, clopidogrel has been reserved for patients with aspirin intolerance.
first day, followed by clopidogrel taking clopidogrel with a relative (75 mg daily) or matching placebo risk of 0.55 of a primary event for at least three months. Aspirin (confidence intervals of 0.43-0.72). (75-325 mg daily) was initiated in In the other patients the effect of all patients who were not already clopidogrel was beneficial regardless taking ASA. All other standard of whether they underwent a therapy like heparin, low-molecular- revascularisation. weight heparin (LWMH), 3The complication most feared blockers and/or calcium antag- with the use of antiplatelet agents onists could be continued. This like clopidogrel is the risk of two-year study included 6303 bleeding. The relative risk ofmajor patients on aspirin alone and 6259 bleedings associated with the use of patients on aspirin and clopidogrel, clopidogrel was 1.34 (2.7% placebo who were followed for 3-12 months vs. 3.6% clopidogrel, p=0.003) and (average 9 months). Primary end- of minor bleedings was 1.78 (8.6% points were cardiovascular death, placebo vs. 15.3% clopidogrel, myocardial infarction (MI) and p
Results
of
the
CURE
study
(50th Annual Scientific Session,
Orlando, 18-21 March 2001)
This year the 50th Annual Scientific Session ofthe American College of Cardiology took place in Orlando from 18-21 March 2001. In the first session on the most recent clinical trials, the long-awaited results of the CURE study were presented. In this study clopidogrel combined with aspirin was compared with aspirin alone in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). This design differed from the CAPRIE study (Clopidogrel vs. Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischaemic Events), an earlier major study with clopidogrel, in which 19,185 patients who either survived a stroke or myocardial infarction, or who had symptomatic peripheral artery disease were treated with either aspirin or clopidogrel. In the CAPRIE study the benefit of clopidogrel over aspirin was not overwhelming. Therefore, in the Netherlands, clopidogrel has been reserved for patients with aspirin intolerance.
first day, followed by clopidogrel taking clopidogrel with a relative (75 mg daily) or matching placebo risk of 0.55 of a primary event for at least three months. Aspirin (confidence intervals of 0.43-0.72). (75-325 mg daily) was initiated in In the other patients the effect of all patients who were not already clopidogrel was beneficial regardless taking ASA. All other standard of whether they underwent a therapy like heparin, low-molecular- revascularisation. weight heparin (LWMH), 3The complication most feared blockers and/or calcium antag- with the use of antiplatelet agents onists could be continued. This like clopidogrel is the risk of two-year study included 6303 bleeding. The relative risk ofmajor patients on aspirin alone and 6259 bleedings associated with the use of patients on aspirin and clopidogrel, clopidogrel was 1.34 (2.7% placebo who were followed for 3-12 months vs. 3.6% clopidogrel, p=0.003) and (average 9 months). Primary end- of minor bleedings was 1.78 (8.6% points were cardiovascular death, placebo vs. 15.3% clopidogrel, myocardial infarction (MI) and p
