Safety of temporary and permanent suspension of antiplatelet therapy after drug eluting stent implantation in contemporary "real-world" practice.

Objectives: To define the incidence of stent thrombosis (ST) and/or AMI (ST/AMI) associated with temporary or permanent suspension of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in real-world patients, and additional factors influencing these events. Background: Adherence to DAPT is critical for avoiding ST following DES implantation. However, the outcomes of patients undergoing antiplatelet therapy withdrawal following DES implantation remain to be clearly described. Methods: Patients receiving DES from 05/01/2003 to 05/01/2008 were identified from a single-center registry. Complete follow-up data were available for 5,681 patients (67% male, age 66 +/- 11 years, duration 1,108 +/- 446 days) who were included in this analysis. Results: Uninterrupted DAPT was maintained in 4,070/5,681 (71.6%) patients, with an annual ST/AMI rate of 0.43%. Antiplatelet therapy was commonly ceased for gastrointestinal-related issues, dental procedures or noncardiac/nongastrointestinal surgery. Temporary DAPT suspension occurred in 593/5,681 (10.4%) patients for 17.6 +/- 74.1 days, with 6/593 (1.0%) experiencing ST/AMI during this period. Of patients permanently ceasing aspirin (n = 187, mean 338 +/- 411 days poststenting), clopidogrel (n = 713, mean 614 +/- 375 days) or both agents (n = 118, mean 459 +/- 408 days), ST/AMI was uncommon with an annual rate of 0.10.2%. Overall, independent predictors of ST/AMI were unstable initial presentation, uninterrupted DAPT and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. Factors predicting uninterrupted DAPT included diabetes, unstable presentation, prior MI, left main coronary PCI, and multivessel coronary disease. Conclusions: In real-world practice, rates of ST/AMI following DES implantation are low, but not insignificant, following aspirin and/or clopidogrel cessation. Use of uninterrupted DAPT appears more common in high-risk patients. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:482492)