Efficacy of ticlopidine in the prevention of thromboembolic events in patients with VVI pacemakers.
This study was designed to evaluate whether long-term treatment with ticlopidine reduces the incidence of thromboembolic episodes in patients with a VVI pacemaker. One hundred eleven patients with a VVI pacemaker were randomly assigned to two groups: group A (52 patients) was treated with ticlopidine at the dose of 250 mg a day; and group B (59 patients) was not treated and served as a control group. The primary analysis of efficacy of ticlopidine was based on the occurrence of thromboembolic episodes and of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular deaths. The mean follow-up period was 66 months. In group A, there was a significant reduction in the incidence of thromboembolic episodes (P less than 0.05) with a smaller incidence of total cardiovascular and cerebrovascular deaths (8 in group A and 18 in group B; P = 0.05) as compared with group B. Twelve percent of patients had moderate side effects with 1 dropout (epistaxis). Our data confirm the high incidence of thromboembolic events in patients with a VVI pacemaker and demonstrate the efficacy of ticlopidine in preventing them.
Fazio
S
S
IV Internal Medicine, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
Santomauro
M
M
Cittadini
A
A
Ferraro
S
S
Lucariello
A
A
Maddalena
G
G
Sacca
L
L
D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005121:Extremities / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D015996:Survival Rate; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013988:Ticlopidine