Study: Increased dosage of Plavix may not help patients with ACS

PARIS Patients with acute coronary syndrome didn’t fare better when receiving increased doses of a popular cardiovascular drug than those receiving the standard dose, according to a new study.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced Monday the results of the 25,087-patient CURRENT-OASIS 7 trial, designed to determine whether ACS patients taking Plavix (clopidogrel) plus aspirin benefited when taking 600 mg of the drug the first day, followed by 150 mg doses for the next six days and 75 mg doses for the remaining 22 days. The standard dosing regimen comprises a 300 mg dose on the first day, followed by 75 mg doses for the next 29 days.

Overall, patients taking the increased dosage did not experience a significant reduction in heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death after 30 days, but 70% of patients, who had received a type of heart surgery called percutaneous coronary intervention early on, did experience a 15% reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death. Meanwhile, there was a 42% relative reduction in risk of blood clots forming around stents, metal mesh devices used to prop open narrowed arteries.