American Society of Hirudotherapy

MULTInational non-interventional study of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with PRimary Angioplasty and Concomitant use of upstream antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel or clopidogrel--the European MULTIPRAC Registry

Clinical trial published in European heart journal. Acute cardiovascular care (2014)

Last Updated: June 18, 2026Reviewed by: ASH Editorial Board
Research article — evidence reviewArticle reference
Evidence: Clinical trialClinical TrialsDrug DevelopmentSafety & Infection ControlSalivary PharmacologyClemmensen P et al. · European heart journal. Acute cardiovascular care, 2014

Abstract

AIMS: Early initiation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is guideline-recommended. MULTIPRAC was conducted to gain insights into the use patterns and outcomes of pre-hospital DAPT initiation with prasugrel or clopidogrel. METHODS AND RESULTS: MULTIPRAC is a multinational, multicentre, prospective registry enrolling 2053 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Patients were grouped according to adherence to the initially prescribed thienopyridine. Pre-hospital use of prasugrel increased from 12.5% to 67.1% at study end. Prasugrel compared to clopidogrel-initiated patients more often adhered to the medication through discharge (87% vs. 38%) whereas 49% of the clopidogrel-initiated patients were switched to prasugrel. Patients who continued on clopidogrel were substantially older. In-hospital mortality was 0.5%, early stent thrombosis 0.1%. The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate was 1.6% in prasugrel-treated vs. 2.3% in clopidogrel-treated patients (adjusted OR 0.749, 95% CI [0.285-1.968]). Non-coronary artery bypass graft (non-CABG) bleeding occurred in 4.1% of prasugrel-treated vs. 6.1% of clopidogrel-treated patients (adjusted OR 0.686 [0.349-1.349]). Pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) TIMI flow 2-3 was seen in 38.7% treated with prasugrel vs. 35.6% with clopidogrel (adjusted OR 1.170 [0.863-1.585]). Post PCI ST-segment resolution ⩾50%, was 71.6% with prasugrel vs. 65.0% with clopidogrel (adjusted OR 1.543 [1.138-2.093], p=0.0052). CONCLUSIONS: MULTIPRAC demonstrated a steady increase in prasugrel use over time without an increase in bleeding rates compared to clopidogrel. ST resolution was more pronounced with prasugrel. Switching between antiplatelet drugs occurs frequently. The low rates of MACE, in-hospital mortality and bleeding, suggests that pre-hospital loading with thienopyridines is confined to low-risk patients. These results emphasize the need for more randomized pre-hospital studies and should be seen in the context of upcoming randomized trials involving pre-hospital antiplatelet therapies.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Publication typeClinical TrialJournal ArticleMulticenter StudyResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Indexed MeSH termsAcute Coronary SyndromeAgedAntithrombinsClopidogrelDrug Therapy, CombinationEuropeFemaleHemorrhageHirudinsHumansInternationalityMale

Summary

Early initiation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is guideline-recommended.

Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy

This multinational, multicenter prospective registry examined the use patterns and clinical outcomes of pre-hospital dual antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel or clopidogrel in 2053 patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The study found a steady increase in prasugrel use without an increase in bleeding rates compared to clopidogrel, though switching between antiplatelet drugs occurred frequently. The registry assesses antiplatelet therapy strategies in interventional cardiology but does not involve actual leech therapy or leech-derived compounds. Consequently, its relevance to the American Society of Hirudotherapy is entirely indirect, limited to the broader cardiovascular therapeutic context without any direct leech or hirudotherapy connection.

Citation

MULTInational non-interventional study of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with PRimary Angioplasty and Concomitant use of upstream antiplatelet therapy with prasugrel or clopidogrel--the European MULTIPRAC Registry

Clemmensen P et al. · European heart journal. Acute cardiovascular care, 2014

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