Among patients receiving drug-eluting coronary
stents, continued treatment with thienopyridine
and aspirin, as compared with aspirin alone, beyond
1 year reduced the risk of stent thrombosis
and of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular
events. This treatment benefit was driven
by concurrent reductions in myocardial infarction
related to the stent and occurring in
other locations. A longer duration of thienopyridine
treatment was associated with a greater risk
of bleeding, although severe or fatal bleeding
was uncommon and the rate did not differ significantly
between the study groups.