Ticagrelor Antiplatelet Therapy to Reduce Graft Events and Thrombosis

Summary

Saphenous vein graft disease remains an unresolved medical problem. Many vein grafts occlude in the first year after bypass surgery, leading to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including recurrent angina, myocardial infarction, and the need for repeat coronary intervention. While aspirin is the standard antiplatelet treatment after CABG surgery, 10-20% of vein grafts continue to occlude despite contemporary secondary preventative therapy. Compared to aspirin and other antiplatelet therapies like clopidogrel, ticagrelor treatment leads to a more pronounced platelet inhibition, and may substantially improve graft patency following CABG compared to aspirin. No data has yet to be collected regarding the impact of ticagrelor on saphenous vein graft patency following CABG. In this context, the investigators seek to compare vein graft patency between patients randomized to receive aspirin therapy, the current standard of care, or ticagrelor treatment, starting in the early postoperative period, and continuing for 2 years after CABG.

Timeline

Start

2014-09

Primary completion

2020-08

Completion

2021-08

Publications

• Kulik A, Abreu AM, Boronat V, Kouchoukos NT, Ruel M. Impact of ticagrelor versus aspirin on graft patency after CABG: Rationale and design of the TARGET (ticagrelor antiplatelet therapy to reduce graft events and thrombosis) randomized controlled trial (NCT02053909). Contemp Clin Trials. 2018 May;68:45-51. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2018.03.008. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Drugs

Indications