title: Effect of antithrombotic therapy on risk of sudden coronary death in patients with congestive heart failure.
abstract: Data from epidemiologic, autopsy, Holter monitoring, and electrophysiologic studies support the hypothesis that acute myocardial ischemia, even in the absence of myocardial infarction, is a critical component of the pathophysiology of sudden coronary death. Acute myocardial ischemia superimposed upon ventricles damaged from previous infarctions has been demonstrated to enhance the generation of lethal ventricular arrhythmias. This is a retrospective analysis of 6,797 participants in the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction prevention and treatment trials. Both univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards modeling were used to study the association of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy with the risk for sudden cardiac death. The following covariates were adjusted for in the analysis: age, ejection fraction, gender, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, a history of angina, prior infarction, prior revascularization, and the regular use of beta blockers, diuretics, digoxin, antiarrhythmic agents, or enalapril. The overall incidence of sudden cardiac death per 100 patient-years of follow-up was 2.24%. In multivariate analysis, antiplatelet and anticoagulant monotherapy each remained independently associated with a reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death: antiplatelet therapy with a 24% reduction (relative risk [RR] 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.95) and antiplatelet monotherapy with a 32% reduction (RR 0.68; 95% CI 0.48-0.96). Thus, in patients with moderate to severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction resulting from coronary artery disease, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy are each associated with a reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trials Group and Office of Biostatistics Research, The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7936, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dries
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Domanski
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Waclawiw
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Gersh
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors