P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

For 20 years, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), consisting of the combination of aspirin and a platelet P2Y₁₂ receptor inhibitor, has been the gold standard of antithrombotic pharmacology after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In the past 5 years, several investigations have challenged this paradigm by testing the efficacy and safety of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy (that is, without aspirin) following a short course of DAPT. Collectively, these studies suggested a reduction in the risk of major bleeding and no significant increase in thrombotic or ischaemic events compared with guideline-recommended DAPT. Current recommendations are evolving to inform clinical practice on the ideal candidates for P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy after PCI. Generalizing the results of studies of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy requires a thorough understanding of their design, populations, interventions, comparators and results. In this Review, we provide an up-to-date overview on the use of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy after PCI, including supporting pharmacodynamic and clinical evidence, practical recommendations and future directions.

P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

In patients with acute and chronic coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has been the cornerstone of pharmacotherapy for the past two decades. Although its antithrombotic benefit is well established, DAPT is associated with an increased risk of bleeding, which is independently associated with poor prognosis. The improvement of the safety profiles of drug-eluting stents has been critical in investigating and implementing shorter DAPT regimens. The introduction into clinical practice of newer generation oral P2Y₁₂ inhibitors such as prasugrel and ticagrelor, which provide more potent and predictable platelet inhibition, has questioned the paradigm of standard DAPT durations after coronary stenting. Over the last five years, several trials have assessed the safety and efficacy of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy after a short course of DAPT in patients treated with PCI. Moreover, ongoing studies are testing the role of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy immediately after PCI in selected patients. In this review, we provide up-to-date evidence on the efficacy and safety of P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy after a short period of DAPT compared to DAPT in patients undergoing PCI as well as outcomes associated with P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy compared to aspirin for long-term prevention.

'Ticagrelor alone vs. dual antiplatelet therapy from 1 month after drug-eluting coronary stenting among patients with STEMI': a post hoc analysis of the randomized GLOBAL LEADERS trial

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor monotherapy beyond 1 month and up to 24 months vs. standard 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and ticagrelor followed by aspirin monotherapy among ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the GLOBAL LEADERS trial.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed a post hoc analysis of STEMI patients in the GLOBAL LEADERS trial comparing experimental ticagrelor monotherapy (1062 patients) with standard 12-month DAPT (1030 patients). We evaluated predefined primary and secondary endpoints in both treatment arms. Rates of net adverse clinical events (NACE), patient-oriented composite endpoints (POCE), and bleeding academic research consortium (BARC)-defined bleeding Type 3 or 5 were also evaluated. At 2 years, there were no significant differences in rates of primary endpoints in patients who had STEMI [0.89 (0.61-1.31)]. There were similar rates of NACE and POCE in both experimental and reference treatment groups at 2 years post-PCI [hazard ratio (HR) 0.96 (0.77-1.20) and 0.96 (0.77-1.21), respectively]. BARC 3 or 5 bleeding events were numerically less in experimental compared to reference treatment groups at 1 year [HR 0.55 (0.27-1.13)] and 2 years [0.61 (0.32-1.16)].

CONCLUSION

Presentation with STEMI has not influenced the incidence of GLOBAL LEADERS defined primary endpoints. There were no significant differences in rates of NACE, POCE, and BARC bleeding between the two treatment groups up to 2 years of follow-up. Although these findings should be viewed as exploratory, they expand the evidence on potential safety of aspirin-free antiplatelet strategies after PCI in STEMI.