Dual Antiplatelet Therapy with Clopidogrel and Aspirin Versus Aspirin Monotherapy in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Abstract

Background The optimal antiplatelet therapy after coronary artery bypass grafting remains unclear. We evaluated the association of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with clopidogrel plus aspirin and clinical outcomes among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods and Results A total of 18 069 consecutive patients who underwent primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2013 and 2017 were identified from a contemporary registry, and 10 854 (60.1%) received DAPT with clopidogrel plus aspirin as determined by claimed prescriptions after surgery. Cox regression models with inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to examine the associations between DAPT and outcomes. Patients who received DAPT, compared with those who received aspirin monotherapy, had a lower incidence of a composite of all‐cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization at 6 months (2.9% versus 4.2%; inverse probability of treatment weighting–adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55–0.77; P<0.001) as well as death (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.41–0.90), myocardial infarction (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.40–0.74), and stroke (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.46–0.74). The incidence of major bleeding did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.69–1.78). Similar results were noted across multiple subgroups as well as when using different analytic methods. Conclusions Among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, DAPT with clopidogrel plus aspirin as secondary prevention was associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events within 6 months as compared with aspirin monotherapy, and there was no significant increase in major bleeding.

Keywords

• aspirin
• clopidogrel
• coronary artery bypass grafting
• dual antiplatelet therapy
• secondary prevention