Effects of Clopidogrel on Blood Pressure

Summary

Context: Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) released from activated platelets induces inflammatory transformation of the vascular endothelium and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Arterial hypertension is associated with platelet activation, increased sCD40L levels and endothelial dysfunction suggesting that inhibition of platelet-derived sCD40L release may improve endothelial function and lower blood pressure (BP). Objective: To determine the effects of clopidogrel on sCD40L, endothelial function and BP. Design: Randomized, controlled, investigator-blinded, parallel-group, 2-phase trial in patients with coronary artery disease and essential arterial hypertension and those without hypertension. Intervention: Participants receive a single 600-mg clopidogrel loading dose (phase I) followed by a daily 75-mg clopidogrel maintenance dose over 28 days (phase II). Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measure is the change in BP from baseline. Secondary outcome measures are changes in biomarkers of platelet and endothelial function and their correlation with BP.

Timeline

Start

2005-01

Primary completion

2009-12

Completion

2010-04

Publications

• Background Heeschen C, Dimmeler S, Hamm CW, van den Brand MJ, Boersma E, Zeiher AM, Simoons ML; CAPTURE Study Investigators. Soluble CD40 ligand in acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2003 Mar 20;348(12):1104-11. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa022600.
• Background Heitzer T, Rudolph V, Schwedhelm E, Karstens M, Sydow K, Ortak M, Tschentscher P, Meinertz T, Boger R, Baldus S. Clopidogrel improves systemic endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability in patients with coronary artery disease: evidence for antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2006 Jul;26(7):1648-52. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000225288.74170.dc. Epub 2006 May 4.
• Background Henn V, Slupsky JR, Grafe M, Anagnostopoulos I, Forster R, Muller-Berghaus G, Kroczek RA. CD40 ligand on activated platelets triggers an inflammatory reaction of endothelial cells. Nature. 1998 Feb 5;391(6667):591-4. doi: 10.1038/35393.
• Background Chen C, Chai H, Wang X, Jiang J, Jamaluddin MS, Liao D, Zhang Y, Wang H, Bharadwaj U, Zhang S, Li M, Lin P, Yao Q. Soluble CD40 ligand induces endothelial dysfunction in human and porcine coronary artery endothelial cells. Blood. 2008 Oct 15;112(8):3205-16. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-03-143479. Epub 2008 Jul 24.

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