Antiplatelet therapy - Better than anticoagulation after stent placement

To determine whether combined antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus ticlopidine) is superior to anticoagulation therapy after stent placement for treating acute myocardial infarction, we randomly assigned 123 infarction patients who underwent successful stent placement to receive treatment with antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants. The group given antiplatelet therapy bad a significantly lower incidence of clinical events and stent vessel occlusion 30 days following implantation as well as six months later. Combined antiplatelet therapy after stent placement for treatment of acute myocardial infarction is associated with a more favorable clinical and angiographic outcome than anticoagulation therapy.