Guidelines on the management of secondary prophylaxis of vascular events in stable patients in primary care.
Atherothrombosis, thrombus formation superimposed on an existing atherosclerotic plaque, is an acute process leading to ischaemic events such as myocardial infarction, stroke and critical limb ischaemia. Patients presenting with clinical conditions associated with atherothrombosis are at increased risk of subsequent vascular events. The beneficial effect of antiplatelet therapies for short-term and long-term secondary prevention of atherothrombotic events has been established. These guidelines aim to provide evidence-based recommendations that will assist in the antiplatelet-mediated secondary prophylaxis of vascular events in patients with stable cardiovascular disease treated in the primary healthcare setting. Medline and the Cochrane library were accessed using free-text strategies in the domains of antiplatelet agents and antithrombotics. Development of the guidelines was driven by a series of Steering Committee meetings, in which the quality of relevant studies was assessed and identified using narrative summary. These guidelines present evidence and recommendations for the treatment of numerous atherothrombotic indications depending on individual patient circumstances.
Betteridge
D J
DJ
Department of Medicine, Sir Jules Thorn Institute, The Middlesex Hospital, London, UK. j.betteridge@ucl.ac.uk
Belch
J
J
Brown
M M
MM
Gent
M
M
Julian
D
D
Long
S
S
Morris
S
S
Pittard
J
J
Pye
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D015607:Stents; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D004176:Dipyridamole; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin