Effect of Ticagrelor on Left Ventricular Function in Patients with Mildly Reduced Ejection Fraction after Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract Background There are limited data about the effect of new P2Y12 inhibitors on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Objectives We aimed to investigate the effect of ticagrelor on left ventricular function, compared to clopidogrel in patients with heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) after AMI. Methods In this cross-sectional, single-center study, we included 251 patients with LVEF between 40% and 50% after AMI before discharge. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the use of ticagrelor (166 patients) and clopidogrel (85 patients). At the end of the 12-month period, LVEF changes were assessed by echocardiography. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean LVEF before discharge was 46.5% ± 3.6%, and no difference was observed between the ticagrelor and clopidogrel groups (p = 0.20). At the end of the first year, the mean LVEF of the patients increased to 49.8% ± 7.6% in both groups. The use of ticagrelor (β ± SE = 2.05 ± 0.93; p = 0.029), low creatinine level (β ± SE = −10.44 ± 2.35; p < 0.001), low troponin level (β ± SE = −0.38 ± 0.14; p = 0.006), and low heart rate (β ± SE = −0.98 ± 0.33; p = 0.003) were found to be independent predictors of the increase in LVEF (β ± SE 2.05 ± 0.93; 95% confidence interval: 0.21 to 3.90; p = 0.029). Conclusion In our study, ticagrelor improved left ventricular function in 12 months follow-up compared to clopidogrel in patients with HFmrEF after AMI.

The potential of the antiplatelet agent ticagrelor as a new antibacterial agent

The number of deaths caused by drug-resistant bacteria is expected to increase in the future, and there is a need to develop new antimicrobial agents. Recently, the antiplatelet drug ticagrelor has been reported to have promising antibacterial properties. The purpose of this review is to analyze articles and case reports that describe the antimicrobial action of ticagrelor. Ticagrelor was found to have antibacterial reactions against Gram-positive bacteria, including drug-resistant and spore-forming bacteria, while no effect was observed against Gram-negative bacteria. In this paper we discuss a new potential antimicrobial agent, ticagrelor.

Efficacy and safety of ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and adverse reactions of ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction (ACI).Methods:A total of 80 patients with ACI who were diagnosed and treated in Anhui Suixi County Hospital from October 2021 to October 2022 were selected retrospectively and randomly divided into the control group and observation group, each group with 40 cases. The patients in the control group were treated with routine basic treatment and atorvastatin for ACI. The patients in the observation group was treated with ticagrelor on the basis of the control group. The clinical efficacy, neurological function, daily living ability, platelet function (platelet count, platelet inhibition rate), inflammatory factors including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group: 92.50%(37/40) vs. 72.50% (29/40), there was statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the score of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of the observation group was lower than that of the control group: (9.37 ± 2.91) points vs. (14.20 ± 3.39) points, and the score of Barthel index scale (BI) was higher than that of the control group: (72.26 ± 13.27) points vs. (58.93 ± 9.43) points, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the platelet count and platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) inhibition rate of the observation group were higher than those of the control group: (284.65 ± 41.58) × 10 9/L vs. (210.46 ± 36.12) × 10 9/L, (79.43 ± 16.42)% vs. (62.40 ± 13.95)%, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After treatment, the serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels of the observation group were lower than those of the control group: (11.64 ± 2.96) mg/L vs. (19.75 ± 4.57) mg/L, (4.26 ± 0.93) ng/L vs. (8.95 ± 1.83) ng/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Ticagrelor combined with atorvastatin has a better therapeutic effect on ACI, which can effectively improve the neurological deficit and the ability of self-care.

Dual antiplatelet therapy in stent-assisted coil embolization of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a comparison of ticagrelor and clopidogrel / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective:To compare the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in dual antiplatelet therapy for stent-assisted embolization of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.Methods:Patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms received stent-assisted embolization in the Department of Neurosurgery, Linyi People's Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively included. According to the preprocedural dual antiplatelet therapy scheme, they were divided into aspirin+clopidogrel group (clopidogrel group) and aspirin+ticagrelor group (ticagrelor group). The incidence of ischemic and bleeding events was compared between the clopidogrel group and the ticagrelor group at 3 months after procedure. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze independent risk factors for postprocedural ischemic and bleeding events. Results:A total of 195 patients were included. Their age was 58.15±10.11 years and 75 were males (38.5%). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of bleeding events (12.8% vs. 5.9%) and ischemic events (14.9% vs. 18.8%) at 3 months after procedure between the ticagrelor group ( n=94) and the clopidogrel group ( n=101). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smoking (odds ratio [ OR] 6.085; 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.589-13.012; P=0.019], hypertension ( OR 4.547, 95% CI 1.589-13.012; P=0.005), aneurysm at the branch vessel ( OR 3.089, 95% CI 1.122-8.504; P=0.029), and the use of flow diverter ( OR 3.111, 95% CI 1.062-9.110; P=0.038) were the independent risk factors for postprocedural ischemic events. Triglycerides might be an independent risk factor for postprocedural bleeding events ( OR 1.435, 95% CI 0.989-2.082; P=0.057), but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions:In dual antiplatelet therapy for stent-assisted embolization of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, ticagrelor and clopidogrel have the same safety and efficacy.

Association of ticagrelor with risk of infection：a two-sample Mendelian randomization study based on the GWAS database / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the causal association between ticagrelor and risk of infection METHODS Two-sample Mendelian randomization was adopted. Genetic instrumental variables were selected based on the results of the largest genome-wide association analysis to in vivo exposure of ticagrelor and its major active metabolite AR-C124910XX. The causal associations of ticagrelor and its major active metabolite AR-C124910XX with drug indications （coronary artery disease， unstable angina pectoris， myocardial infarction， stroke and ischemic stroke）were analyzed by inverse variance weighted Mendelian randomization model as a positive control for genetic instrumental variables. The causal relationship between ticagrelor and bacterial infection， acute lower respiratory infection， bacterial pneumoniae， pneumoniae，acute upper respiratory infection and sepsis were furtheranalyzed by using this method， and the robustness of the results was assessed by using heterogeneity tests and horizontal 202002030415） pleiotropy tests. RESULTS The increase of area under the curve at steady state （AUCss） of the genetic surrogated ticagrelor significantly reduced the risk of coronary artery disease， myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris （P＜0.001）. AUCss genetic instrument variables of its main active metabolite AR-C124910XX failed to pass positive control. Further analysis showed that the increase of the genetic surrogated ticagrelor exposure suggestively reduced the risk of bacterial infection [OR（95%CI）＝0.80（0.65，0.99），P＝0.040] and sepsis [OR （95%CI）＝0.84（0.73， 0.98）， P＝0.023]. The results of the heterogeneity tests showed that there was no heterogeneity in the causal association of the genetic surrogated ticagrelor AUCss with bacterial infection and sepsis （P＞0.05）. The results of horizontal pleiotropy tests showed that the causal association of genetic surrogated ticagrelor AUCss with bacterial infection and sepsis had no effects on horizontal pleiotropy （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Ticagrelor has a potential role in reducing the risk of sepsis and bacterial infections.

Microfluidic Chip and Flow Cytometry for Examination of the Antiplatelet Effect of Ticagrelor / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To examine the antiplatelet effect of ticagrelor by microfluidic chip and flow cytometry under shear stress in vitro. Methods Microfluidic chip was used to examine the effect of ticagrelor on platelet aggregation at the shear rates of 300/s and 1500/s.We adopted the surface coverage of platelet aggregation to calculate the half inhibition rate of ticagrelor.The inhibitory effect of ticagrelor on ADP-induced platelet aggregation was verified by optical turbidimetry.Microfluidic chip was used to construct an in vitro vascular stenosis model,with which the platelet reactivity under high shear rate was determined.Furthermore,the effect of ticagrelor on the expression of fibrinogen receptor (PAC-1) and P-selectin (CD62P) on platelet membrane activated by high shear rate was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results At the shear rates of 300/s and 1500/s,ticagrelor inhibited platelet aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner,and the inhibition at 300/s was stronger than that at 1500/s (both P<0.001).Ticagrelor at a concentration ≥4 μmol/L almost completely inhibited platelet aggregation.The inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by ticagrelor was similar to the results under flow conditions and also in a concentration-dependent manner.Ticagrelor inhibited the expression of PAC-1 and CD62P. Conclusion We employed microfluidic chip to analyze platelet aggregation and flow cytometry to detect platelet activation,which can reveal the responses of different patients to ticagrelor.

Ácido acetilsalicílico versus inibidores dos receptores P2Y12 para prevenção secundária em pacientes tratados por meio de intervenção coronária percutânea / Aspirin versus P2Y12 inhibitors for secondary prevention after percutaneous coronary intervention

Na atualidade, as intervenções coronárias percutâneas com implante de um stent farmacológico constituem o principal método de revascularização miocárdica em centros hospitalares terciários, independentemente da forma clínica de apresentação da doença arterial coronária. É de conhecimento geral que, para sua efetivação, há necessidade do uso de um esquema antiplaquetário duplo, constituído pela associação do ácido acetilsalicílico e um inibidor dos receptores plaquetários P2Y12, que é o cerne da prevenção das tromboses após implantes das endopróteses, sendo também indicado para prevenir a ocorrência de eventos aterotrombóticos na evolução clínica tardia, qualquer que seja o modelo de stent utilizado. Após período variável de tempo, independentemente de fatores como forma clínica de apresentação da coronariopatia e do tipo de stent implantado, esse esquema é interrompido, e, na atualidade, as principais diretrizes preconizam a suspensão do inibidor dos receptores P2Y12 e a manutenção do ácido acetilsalicílico em longo prazo como uma das principais medidas farmacológicas de prevenção secundária da aterosclerose. No entanto, recentemente, em razão de sua maior potência antiplaquetária e provável menor potencial de causar hemorragias significantes, em especial no tubo digestivo, os inibidores P2Y12 têm sido considerados alternativa válida e atraente como antiplaquetário de utilização em longo prazo, alternativa ainda não referendada pelas diretrizes. Esta revisão discute os pormenores relacionados a essa importante decisão que deve ser tomada pelo cardiologista no momento da interrupção dos diferentes esquemas antitrombóticos inicialmente utilizados após uma intervenção coronária percutânea. Em princípio, a escassez de estudos clínicos conclusivos e normativos, em especial na população tratada por meio de uma intervenção percutânea, faz com que o ácido acetilsalicílico ainda se mantenha como o único antiagregante plaquetário com indicação classe I com a finalidade de prevenção secundária da aterosclerose.

Currently, percutaneous coronary intervention with a drug-eluting stent implantation is the main method of myocardial revascularization in tertiary care hospitals, regardless of the clinical presentation of coronary artery disease. It is well known that to be effective, it requires the use of a dual antiplatelet therapy, which is a combination of acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 platelet receptor inhibitor, which plays a key role in preventing thromboses after endoprosthesis implantation and is also indicated to prevent atherothrombotic events in the late clinical course, regardless of the stent model used. After a variable period of time, depending on some factors, such as the clinical presentation of coronary artery disease and the type of stent implanted, this therapy is discontinued, and the main current guidelines recommend interrupting the P2Y12 receptor inhibitor and maintaining acetylsalicylic acid in the long term, as one of the main pharmacological measures for secondary prevention of atherosclerosis. However, recently, due to their greater antiplatelet potency and probable lower potential for significant bleeding, especially in the digestive tract, P2Y12 inhibitors have been considered a valid and attractive option as an antiplatelet agent for long-term use; but this alternative has not been endorsed by guidelines yet. This review discusses the details related to this important decision that must be made by cardiologists when discontinuing the different antithrombotic therapies initially used after percutaneous coronary intervention. In principle, the scarcity of conclusive and normative clinical studies, especially in the population treated by percutaneous intervention, means that acetylsalicylic acid is the only antiplatelet agent with class I indication for secondary prevention of atherosclerosis.

De-escalação de inibidores dos receptores P2Y12 após intervenção coronária percutânea / P2Y12 inhibitor de-escalation after percutaneous coronary interventions

Em pacientes que apresentam síndromes coronárias agudas e são tratados com intervenção coronária percutânea, a prescrição do esquema antiplaquetário duplo, composto de ácido acetilsalicílico e um inibidor dos receptores P2Y12, é mandatória, contribuindo para a redução de eventos cardíacos maiores. No entanto, ao mesmo tempo em que previne eventos isquêmicos, essa associação pode precipitar complicações hemorrágicas maiores, o que é mais comumente observado quando são prescritos os medicamentos mais potentes, como o prasugrel ou o ticagrelor. Essas constatações levaram à procura de alternativas terapêuticas capazes de manter a proteção contra eventos isquêmicos e, ao mesmo tempo, prevenir a ocorrência de hemorragias. Uma das estratégias que está em estudo é a de-escalação dos inibidores P2Y12, que consiste no uso dos medicamentos mais potentes numa fase precoce após o procedimento, com substituição deles pelo clopidogrel, após um período de, em geral, 30 dias de evolução; outra possibilidade seria a simples redução da dose do fármaco de maior potência, algo que, até o momento, só pode ser cogitado com o prasugrel. A de-escalação pode ser feita de forma guiada, utilizando testes de mensuração objetiva da agregação plaquetária ou exames para avaliar o perfil genético dos pacientes, ou não guiada, na qual o cardiologista simplesmente faz a substituição ou redução da dose ao fim do período estipulado, sem o auxílio de exames complementares. A literatura contempla ensaios clínicos com essas duas opções de estratégia, os quais são discutidos nesta revisão. Até o momento, nenhuma diretriz médica recomenda de forma explícita o uso regular dessa alternativa terapêutica.

In patients who have acute coronary syndromes and are treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, the prescription of a dual antiplatelet regimen, consisting of acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, is mandatory, contributing to the reduction of major cardiac events. However, while preventing ischemic events, this association may precipitate major bleeding complications, which is more commonly seen when more potent drugs, such as prasugrel or ticagrelor, are prescribed. These findings led to the search for therapeutic alternatives that could maintain the protection against ischemic events and, at the same time, prevent the occurrence of hemorrhages. One of the strategies being studied is de-escalation of P2Y12 inhibitors, which consists of the use of more potent drugs in an early phase after the procedure, replacing them with clopidogrel, after a period of, in general, 30 days of clinical course. Another possibility would be to simply reduce the dose of the most potent drug, which so far can only be considered with prasugrel. De-escalation can be done in a guided way, using objective measuring tests of platelet aggregation or exams to assess the genetic profile of patients, or unguided, in which the cardiologist simply replaces or reduces the dose at the end of the stipulated period, with no ancillary tests. The literature includes clinical trials with these two strategy options, which are discussed in this review. So far, no medical guideline explicitly recommends the regular use of this therapeutic alternative.

Clinical observation of ticagrelor combined with Compound xueshuantong capsule in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To observe the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor combined with Compound xueshuantong capsules in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris. METHODS Totally 120 patients with unstable angina pectoris with deficiency of Qi and Yin combined admitted to Sanmenxia Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to December 2022 were randomly divided into clopidogrel group （group A）， ticagrelor group （group B） and combined medication group （group C）， with 40 patients in each group. In addition to conventional treatment， group A was given clopidogrel orally； group B was given ticagrelor orally； group C was given ticagrelor and Compound xueshuantong capsule orally. After 12 weeks of treatment， the clinical efficacy， frequency of angina attacks， coagulation function indicators， cardiac function indicators， traditional Chinese medicine syndrome efficacy， and the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events and bleeding incidence were evaluated in the 3 groups. RESULTS The total effective rates of group A， group B and group C were 77.5%， 85.0% and 90.0%， respectively. The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events and bleeding events were 7.5%， 7.5% and 5.0% in the respective groups， with no statistically significant difference （P＞0.05）. The frequency of angina attacks， duration of angina attacks and duration of dyspnea were significantly reduced or shortened in all 3 groups after treatment compared to before treatment （P＜0.05）. The frequency of angina attacks in group C was significantly lower than that in groups A and B after treatment （P＜0.05）. The levels of fibrinogen （FBG） and D-dimer in all 3 groups were significantly lower after treatment compared to before treatment （P＜0.05）； group A had significantly higher levels of FBG and D-dimer compared to group B and C （P＜0.05）. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in all three groups were significantly shorter after treatment， and the left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher compared to before treatment （P＜0.05）， but there were no statistically significant differences among those groups （P＞0.05）. The total effective rates of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome efficacy in groups A， B and C were 67.5%， 80.0% and 87.5%， respectively， with group C being significantly higher than group A （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS In addition to conventional treatment， ticagrelor combined with Compound xueguantong capsules can more significantly reduce the frequency of angina attacks in patients with unstable angina pectoris， reduce the levels of FBG and D- dimer， improve traditional Chinese medicine syndrome efficacy， and do not increase the risk of bleeding.

Effect of pharmacogenetic polymorphism on the antiplatelet aggregation effect of ticagrelor / 药学实践杂志

Objective To develop a pharmacogenomics study of ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), identify the genetic factors that can predict individual differences in antiplatelet aggregation effects of ticagrelor, and provide a reference for the development of individualized regimens for ticagrelor. Methods 75 ACS patients of Chinese Han in a hospital in Fujian province in 2018 who met the entry criteria were recruited. The patient was given the tests for platelet function test, platelet aggregation rate and DNA detection. The whole exon sequencing method (WES) was used to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms of SLO1B1, UGT2B7, P2Y12, PEAR1, ITGA2B and ITGB3. At the same time, the general clinical data of the patients were collected and recorded. The correlation between antiplatelet aggregation effects of ticagrelor and pharmacogenetic polymorphism was analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, multiple linear regression analysis and binary logistic regression analysis. Results One-way analysis of variance showed that SLCO1B1 rs2306283 mutant allele G could affect the antiplatelet aggregation effect of ticagrelor, the average platelet aggregation rate of patients carrying at least one allele G (AG+GG type) was significantly lower than that of wild homozygotes AA patients (8.07%±6.17% vs 13.88%±6.39%, P≤0.05). However, multivariate regression analysis after adjusting for confounding factors showed that SLCO1B1 rs2306283 mutant allele G was not an independent variable affecting the antiplatelet effects of ticagrelor (P>0.05). Conclusion Single nucleotide polymorphisms of genes related to ticagrelor transport receptors, targets, and platelet membrane receptors (including SLO1B1, UGT2B7, P2Y12, PEAR1, ITGA2B, ITGB3) in ACS patients of Han Chinese in Fujian province will not significantly affect the antiplatelet aggregation effect of ticagrelor, which provides a new treatment option for patients with genetic defects who are not suitable for clopidogrel.

Efficacy analysis of anti-platelet in the treatment of high-risk non-disabling ischemic cerebrovascular events guided by point-of-care testing of CYP2C19 gene / 中华神经科杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of different anti-platelet regimens in the treatment of high-risk non-disabling ischemic cerebrovascular events (HR-NICE) guided by point-of-care testing of CYP2C19 gene. Methods:A single-centre, prospective, randomised, open-label, and blinded endpoint design was uesd in the study. From July 2020 to January 2022, HR-NICE patients were enrolled in the Stroke Green Channel and Department of Neurology of Xuzhou Central Hospital, and all patients were scraped the buccal mucosa for screening for CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele carriers by point-of-care testing . Patients with intermediate metabolism were defined as those who carried 1 loss-of-function allele and patients with poor metabolism were those who carried 2 loss-of-function alleles. This study reduced the test turnaround time to 1 hour by using a fully automated medical polymerase chain reaction analyzer for a point-of-care test of CYP2C19 genotype. CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele carriers were divided according to the random number table method into the conventional treatment group (clopidogrel 75 mg, once a day), the ticagrelor group (ticagrelor 90 mg, twice a day) and the intensive dose group (clopidogrel 150 mg, once a day) separately combined with aspirin (100 mg, once a day) dual antiplatelet for 21 days. Baseline information, Acute Stroke Org 10172 Treatment Trial staging, 90-day modified Rankin Scale score, occurrence of adverse events and severe adverse events were collected for all the 3 groups. The primary efficacy outcome was new stroke within 90 days, and the primary safety outcome was severe or moderate bleeding within 90 days. Results:A total of 716 patients were included: 240 in the conventional treatment group, 240 in the ticagrelor group and 236 in the intensive dose group. There was no statistically significant difference between the 3 groups at baseline (all P>0.05). There were 26 cases (10.8%) with new stroke events in the conventional treatment group, 11 cases (4.6%) in the ticagrelor group and 4 cases (1.7%) in the intensive dose group, with statistically significant differences among the 3 groups (χ 2=19.28, P<0.05), and the differences between the conventional treatment group and the ticagrelor group (χ 2=6.59, P=0.010) and between the conventional treatment group and the intensive dose group (χ 2=16.83, P<0.001) were statistically significant, whereas the difference between the ticagrelor group and the intensive dose group was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). In the 3 groups, there was 1 case (0.4%) of severe bleeding in the conventional treatment group, 6 cases (2.5%) in the ticagrelor group and none in the intensive dose group, which showed statistically significant differences (χ 2=7.23, P<0.05), and there was statistically significant difference between the ticagrelor group and the intensive dose group ( P=0.030). Among the patients with intermediate CYP2C19 metabolism, there were 13 cases (13/158, 8.2%) with 90-day recurrent stroke in the conventional treatment group, 4 cases (4/153, 2.6%) in the ticagrelor group, and 0 case (0/159) in the intensive dose group, with statistically significant difference (χ 2=16.04, P<0.001), and the differences between the intensive dose group and the conventional treatment group were statistically significant (χ 2=13.64, P<0.001), whereas there was no statistically significant difference between the intensive dose group and the ticagrelor group ( P>0.05). In the patients with 90-day recurrent stroke in the intensive dose group, there was 0 case (0/159) with intermediate metabolism and 4 cases (4/77,5.2%) with poor metabolism, with statistically significant differences ( P=0.011), whereas there were no statistically significant differences in the conventional treatment group and the ticagrelor group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Screening carriers of CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles by point-of-care testing can quickly and precisely guide the treatment of patients with non-cardiogenic HR-NICE. An intensive clopidogrel dose of 150 mg, once a day combined with aspirin was effective in reducing stroke recurrence with less occurrence of any bleeding and adverse events, and patients with intermediate CYP2C19 metabolism may be the best population to benefit.

Disnea secundaria a ticagrelor posterior a arteriografía coronaria. Reporte de caso / Dyspnea secondary to ticagrelor posterior to coronary arteriography. Case report

Resumen Los antiagregantes plaquetarios son medicamentos ampliamente utilizados para la prevención y tratamiento de patologías aterotrombóticas, como lo es el síndrome coronario agudo. A pesar de tener un efecto benéfico, no están exentos de ocasionar múltiples alteraciones a nivel sistémico, como lo es la disnea en pacientes sometidos a manejo con ticagrelor. Se expone el caso de un paciente de 66 años con antecedente de cardiopatía isquémico-hipertensiva, tabaquismo pesado y alergia al ácido acetilsalicílico (ASA), con requerimiento de 2 arteriografías coronarias, quien presenta disnea en reposo en menos de 24 horas posterior al inicio de manejo antiagregante tromboprofiláctico con ticagrelor, que resuelve de forma satisfactoria tras la suspensión del medicamento. Al ser un efecto secundario relativamente frecuente en el marco del uso del ticagrelor, se hace relevante revisar los hallazgos en la literatura actual sobre la aparición de disnea en pacientes tratados con dicho fármaco, para así tener en cuenta posibles recomendaciones acerca del manejo de la disnea asociada a ticagrelor, basadas en el conocimiento actual. MÉD.UIS.2022;35(1): 9-15.

Abstract Antiplatelet agents are widely used drugs for the prevention and treatment of atherothrombotic pathologies such as acute coronary syndrome, however, despite having a beneficial effect, they're not exempt from causing multiple systemic alterations, such as dyspnea in patients undergoing management with ticagrelor. We will now present the case of a 66-year-old patient with a history of hypertensive ischemic heart disease requiring 2 cardiac catheterizations, heavy smoking and allergic to Acetyl Salicylic Acid (ASA) who presented dyspnea at rest in less than 24 hours after the start of thromboprophylaxis management with ticagrelor, that resolves satisfactorily after discontinuation of the drug. Because it is a frequent side effect in the framework of the use of ticagrelor, it's relevant to review the current literature on the appearance of dyspnea in patients treated with ticagrelor, to highlight recommendations for the management of dyspnea associated with ticagrelor based on current knowledge. MÉD.UIS.2022;35(1): 9-15.

Intervenção coronária percutânea no paciente com alto risco de hemorragia / Percutaneous coronary intervention in the patient at high risk of bleeding

Na atualidade, as intervenções coronárias percutâneas são responsáveis por mais de 80% dos procedimentos de revascularização miocárdica. Esse resultado é possível por dois grandes avanços: o desenvolvimento de stents farmacológicos eficazes e seguros, somado a uma farmacoterapia antitrombótica potente e efetiva na prevenção de eventos aterotrombóticos, a qual, em geral, deve ser mantida por cerca de 6 a 12 meses após a intervenção índice. No entanto, expressivo contingente de casos, que a literatura situa em até 20% dos pacientes tratados, apresenta risco para desenvolver hemorragias significantes, que podem ter grave impacto no prognóstico. Assim, essa população requer uma série de cuidados relacionados com a indicação, a realização e o acompanhamento tardio. O processo se inicia pela identificação dos casos mais predispostos, o que, na maior parte das situações, é simples, havendo inclusive escores de risco que auxiliam o car­ diologista. Na sequência, a indicação do procedimento deve ser feita com propriedade. Os cuidados são iniciados pela prescrição preferencial do clopidogrel ao invés dos demais inibidores da P2Y12; no momento do procedimento, sempre que viável, a opção pela via radial é vantajosa, em especial em síndromes coronárias agudas. O uso de um modelo de stent com liberação de medicamentos também é recomendado nesses casos, pois os stents contemporâneos são seguros a ponto de permitirem a abreviação com segurança do tempo de uso do esquema antiplaquetário duplo. Por fim, mais recentemente, tem sido discutida a monoterapia com inibidores do receptor P2Y12, na qual a suspensão precoce do ácido acetilsalicílico não comprometeria a segurança e, ao mesmo tempo, seria capaz de prevenir eventos hemorrágicos de vulto.

Currently, percutaneous coronary interventions account for more than 80% of myocardial revascularization procedures. This result was enabled by two major advances: the development of effective and safe drug­eluting stents, in addition to a potent and effective antithrombotic pharmacotherapy in the prevention of atherothrombotic events, which, in general, should be maintained for about 6 to 12 months after the index intervention. However, a significant number of cases (up to 20% of treated patients according to literature) are at risk for developing significant bleeding, which can have a serious impact on prognosis. Therefore, this population requires a series of care measures related to indication, performance of the procedure, and late follow­up. The process begins with the identification of the most predisposed cases, which, in most situations, is simple, and there are risk scores that help the cardiologist. Next, the indication of the procedure should be done appropriately. Care begins with the preferential prescription of clopidogrel instead of other P2Y12 inhibitors; at the time of the procedure, whenever feasible, the option for the radial access is advantageous, especially in acute coronary syndromes. The use of a drug­eluting stent is also recommended in these cases, since contemporary stents are safe enough to safely shorten the duration of use of the dual antiplatelet regimen. Finally, more recently, monotherapy with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors has been discussed, in which early withdrawal of acetylsalicylic acid would not compromise safety and, at the same time, it would be able to prevent major bleeding events.

Low platelet reactivity in patients with myocardial infarction treated with aspirin plus ticagrelor

ABSTRACT Objective: Low platelet reactivity levels are associated with higher risk of bleeding in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy relative to patients with optimal platelet blockade. This study set out to evaluate the prevalence of low platelet reactivity in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with ticagrelor and aspirin. Methods: Patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction who were already undergoing dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and ticagrelor were enrolled. Blood samples were collected 1 hour before and 2 hours after the maintenance dose of ticagrelor to investigate trough and the peak effects of the drug respectively. Platelet reactivity was measured by three methods: Multiplate®, PFA-100® with Innovance® PFA-P2Y cartridge and PFA-100® with Collagen/ADP cartridge. Platelet reactivity was assessed in the presence of peak levels of ticagrelor and defined according to previously validated cut-offs for each method (<19 AUC, >299 seconds and >116 seconds respectively). The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled (44% with ST-elevation). Median duration of DAPT was 3 days (interquartile range, 2-5 days). On average, peak and trough platelet reactivity were markedly low and did not differ between different methods. Low platelet reactivity was common, but varied according to analytic method (PFA-100®/Innovance®PFA-P2Y: 86%; Multiplate®: 74%; PFA-100®/Collagen/ADP: 48%; p<0.001). Conclusion: Low platelet reactivity was very common in patients with acute myocardial infarction submitted to dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor and aspirin. Findings of this study justify the investigation of less intensive platelet inhibition strategies aimed at reducing the risk of bleeding in this population, such as lower dose regimens or monotherapy with P2Y12 inhibitors.

Síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica por ticagrelor / Systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with use of ticagrelor

Resumen El ticagrelor es un antiagregante plaquetario que actúa a través de la unión reversible a los receptores P2Y12 de la adenosina-difosfato. En el síndrome coronario agudo, ha demostrado reducir el riesgo de eventos cardiovasculares mayores como infarto de miocardio, accidente cerebrovascular y muerte. Si bien se han descripto en detalle ciertas complicaciones hemorrágicas, renales, hepáticas y respiratorias por el uso del ticagrelor, otros efectos adversos menos frecuentes de la droga no han sido adecuadamente escla recidos. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con un síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica secundario al uso de ticagrelor.

Abstract Ticagrelor is anantiplatelet agent which acts through reversible binding to the P2Y12 adenosine-diphosphate recep tors. In acute coronary syndromes it has been shown to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, stroke and death. Although some hemorrhagic, kidney, liver and respiratory complications have been described in detail with the use of ticagrelor, other less frequent adverse effects are not so well clari fied. We report the case of a patient with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome secondary to the use of ticagrelor.

Estrategias de antiagregación en síndromes coronarios agudos sin elevación del segmento ST / Antiplatelet Strategies in Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome

RESUMEN Introducción: Existe información limitada sobre estrategias de tratamiento con inhibidores del receptor P2Y12 (iP2Y12) en síndromes coronarios agudos sin elevación del segmento ST (SCASEST) en la vida real. Objetivos: Determinar la incidencia de eventos cardíacos adversos mayores (MACE)y sangrado BARC ≥2, según la estrategia de tratamiento con iP2Y12 a 6 meses. Material y métodos: Subanálisis preespecificado del registro BUENOS AIRES I (n = 1100). Se estratificó la cohorte según "pretratamiento" con iP2Y12 (antes de conocer la anatomía coronaria), o "tratamiento en sala" (luego de conocer la anatomía coronaria) y se analizó la incidencia de eventos clínicos, según: pretratamiento con clopidogrel/ticagrelor, tratamiento en sala con clopidogrel/ticagrelor. Resultados: La edad media fue 65,4 ± 11,5 años, con 77,2% de sexo masculino. El 79,72% recibió iP2Y12, el 75% como pretratamiento y 25% como tratamiento en sala. Los pacientes con pretratamiento fueron más jóvenes y con más infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM), en comparación con el subgrupo de tratamiento en sala. A los 6 meses, no hubo diferencias significativas en la incidencia de MACE (16,4% vs. 14,4%; p = 0,508), o sangrado BARC ≥2 (14,7% vs. 11,1%; p = 0,205), entre los distintos momentos de administración del iP2Y12. El tratamiento con ticagrelor presentó menos MACE en comparación con el clopidogrel (p = 0,044), sin diferencias en sangrados. No se observaron diferencias en MACE entre ticagrelor en pretratamiento o tratamiento en sala (p = 0,893). Conclusiones: El subgrupo de pacientes seleccionados para recibir pretratamiento con iP2Y12 no presentó diferencias en MACE ni sangrado en relación con los tratados en sala. Los pacientes seleccionados para su tratamiento con ticagrelor en sala presentaron un balance beneficioso entre eventos isquémicos y hemorrágicos.

ABSTRACT Background: There is limited real life information on treatment strategies with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors (P2Y12i) in nonST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTEACS). Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and BARC bleeding ≥2, according to the treatment strategy with P2Y12i at 6 months. Methods: The study used the pre-specified subanalysis of the BUENOS AIRES I registry (n=1100). The cohort was stratified according to P2Y12i "pretreatment" (before knowing the coronary anatomy), or "ward treatment" (after knowing the coronary anatomy), and the incidence of clinical events was analyzed according to pretreatment or ward treatment with clopidogrel/ ticagrelor. Results: Mean age was 65.4 ± 11.5 years and 77.2% were male patients. In 79.72% of cases patients received P2Y12i, 75% as pretreatment and 25% as ward treatment. Pretreatment patients were younger and with greater prevalence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared with the ward treatment subgroup. At 6 months, there were no significant differences in the incidence of MACE (16.4% vs. 14.4%; p = 0.508), or BARC bleeding ≥2 (14.7% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.205), between the different times of P2Y12i administration. Treatment with ticagrelor presented reduced MACE compared with clopidogrel (p = 0.044), with no difference in bleeding. No MACE differences were observed between pretreatment or in ward treatment with ticagrelor (p=0.893). Conclusions: The subgroup of patients selected to receive P2Y12i pretreatment did not present differences in MACE or bleeding relative to those treated in ward. Patients selected for ticagrelor treatment in ward presented a beneficial balance between ischemic and hemorrhagic events.

Preparation, characterization and improved solubility of ticagrelor salts / 药学学报

Four salts of ticagrelor, ticagrelor-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, ticagrelor-pyrazinamide, ticagrelor-D-proline and ticagrelor-L-proline were prepared by solvent suspension and liquid-assisted grinding to improve the solubility of ticagrelor. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and the intermolecular salt-bonding forces were analyzed. The equilibrium solubility of salts and pure drug in hydrochloride buffer pH 1.2 and phosphate buffer pH 6.8 were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Ticagrelor was salted with 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, pyrazinamide, D-proline, L-proline all in a stoichiometric ratio of 1∶1; with the exception of ticagrelor-D-proline, the solubility of the other three salts provided significantly improved solubility in hydrochloride buffer pH 1.2, and the equilibrium solubility of ticagrelor-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid was increased by approximately 1.7 folds as compared to pure drug. Salt-forming technology is convenient and can improve the solubility of ticagrelor.

Risk factors of ticagrelor-associated dyspnea in patients with acute coronary syndrome / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics and related risk factors of dyspnea in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients taking ticagrelor after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This prospective study included 283 ACS patients under the treatment of ticagrelor after PCI from Dec. 2018 to Jun. 2019. Patients with lung diseases, cardiac insufficiency grade III or above (New York Heart Association [NYHA] heart function classification), or with medicine intervention were excluded from the study. Dyspnea was assessed by Borg scale. The hemorrhage was evaluated by thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) bleeding classification. Risk factors of ticagrelor-related dyspnea were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to calculate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the diagnosis of ticagrelor-related dyspnea. Results: The incidence of ticagrelor-related dyspnea was 16.3% (46/283), and 60.9% (28/46) of the patients developed dyspnea within 1 week after taking ticagrelor. Mild dyspnea manifested in 56.5% (26/46) patients, moderate dyspnea in 28.3% (13/46) patients and severe dyspnea in 15.2% (7/46) patients. Discontinuation of ticagrelor due to adverse drug reactions accounted for 8.5% (24/283), and 62.5% (15/24) of them terminated ticagrelor because of intolerable dyspnea. The bleeding events, proportion of male patients, smoking history, and left atrial volume (LA) of the dyspnea group were significantly higher than those of the non-dyspnea group (all P<0.05). LVEF of the dyspnea group was significantly lower than that of the non-dyspnea group (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that bleeding events, low LVEF, male and smoking were independent risk factors for ticagrelor-related dyspnea (P<0.05). The risk of dyspnea in patients with bleeding events was 2.925 times higher than that in patients without bleeding events (odds ratio[OR]=2.925, 95% confdence interval [CI]: 1.386-6.175, P=0.005). ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off of LVEF for diagnosis of ticagrelor-related dyspnea was 61%. Conclusion: Ticagrelor-related dyspnea is very common in Chinese ACS patients. Mild dyspnea presents within 1 week after taking the drug in most patients. Bleeding events, low LVEF, smoking, and male are risk factors for ticagrelor-related dyspnea.

Analysis of premature ticagrelor discontinuation in patients with acute coronary syndrome during dual antiplatelet therapy / 第二军医大学学报

Objective To explore the incidence, causes and influencing factors of premature ticagrelor discontinuation (PTD) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods A total of 400 hospitalized ACS patients who were treated with aspirin and ticagrelor in the Department of Cardiovasology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University) from Jan. to Oct. 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. Baseline data were collected and patients were followed up to analyze the incidence, causes and influencing factors of PTD in ACS patients. Results At 12 months after discharge, PTD occurred in 49 patients (12.2%), and was free in 351 patients (87.8%). The proportions of patients with age>75 years, heart failure history or previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the levels of serum potassium and urea in PTD group were significantly higher than those in non-PTD group (P=0.004, 0.031, 0.028, 0.037, 0.001). The proportion of patients using β-blocker and the severity of vascular stenosis in PTD group were significantly lower than those in non-PTD group (P=0.041, 0.018). Dyspnea (22.4%, 11/49), drug unavailability (18.4%, 9/49) and bleeding (12.2%, 6/49) were the three most common causes of PTD. PTD occurred in all dyspnea patients with modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) being grade 2 or higher (two cases with grade 1, six cases with grade 2, two cases with grade 3, and one case with grade 4). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that 67.3% (33/49) of patients with PTD occurred within 90 days after discharge. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age>75 years old (odds ratio [OR]=2.58, 95% confidence interval[ CI] 1.26-5.26, P=0.009) and elevated urea (OR=1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.30, P=0.007) were independent predictors of PTD in ACS patients, while severity of vascular stenosis (OR=0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98, P=0.001) was the related factor of adherence to ticagrelor. Conclusion The incidence of PTD in ACS patients during dual antiplatelet therapy is 12.2%. For dyspnea patients with mMRC score of grade 2 or higher, P2Y12 receptor antagonist should be replaced in time. Age> 75 years old is an independent predictor of PTD in ACS patients and more attention is needed for elderly patients taking ticagrelor whether they have dyspnea or PTD.