The Role of Rivaroxaban in the Treatment of Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

An analytical article discusses the design and results of the recent COMPASS study. Particular attention is paid to the details of comparison of the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban combined with acetylsalicylic acid and the efficacy and safety of drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid only in patients with stable coronary artery disease. In addition to a significant reduction in the risk of the sum of traditionally recognizable events (myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular mortality), among the arguments in favour of fairly widespread prolonged use of the antiplatelet agent combined with anticoagulant is an attractive effect of the debated antithrombotic strategy on the overall mortality of patients, an acceptable ratio of efficacy and hemorrhagic safety, first of all the absence of the increased risk of fatal bleeding and the risk of intracranial bleeding. The article describes approaches to the selection of patients with coronary artery disease for the participation in the long-term treatment with rivaroxaban combined with acetylsalicylic acid. Alternative possibilities for enhancement of the secondary prophylactic effects of acetylsalicylic acid are mentioned, the arguments supporting the preference of the approach discussed in the article are presented.

Keywords

• stable coronary artery disease
• previous myocardial infarction
• acetylsalicylic acid
• rivaroxaban
• secondary prevention