Is routine post-procedural anticoagulation warranted after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction? Insights from the HORIZONS-AMI trial

AIM: Post-procedural anticoagulation (AC) for routine prophylaxis may be administered after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but the risks and benefits of this practice are uncertain. We therefore sought to assess the utility of routine post-procedural AC after primary PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing primary PCI in the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial were grouped according to whether they received post-PCI AC for routine prophylaxis. Outcomes were assessed using propensity-adjusted multivariable analysis. Among 2932 patients in whom primary PCI for STEMI was performed, 869 (29.6%) received post-PCI AC for routine prophylaxis (median duration four days) and 2063 (70.4%) received no post-PCI AC. Time from PCI to ambulation was similar in both groups (median 0.9 vs 1.0 days, p=0.40), although hospitalization was prolonged in patients receiving AC for routine prophylaxis (median 6.0 vs 4.0 days, p<0.0001). After propensity-adjustment, patients who received and did not receive AC for routine prophylaxis after PCI experienced similar rates of 30-day adverse ischemic and major bleeding events. Deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary emboli developed rarely (0.3%) within 30 days, and were not significantly reduced by use of post-PCI AC for routine prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: In this large-scale prospective study, use of post-procedural AC for routine prophylaxis was relatively common, and was not associated with improved clinical outcomes, although the duration of hospitalization was prolonged. These data suggest that post-PCI AC for routine prophylaxis may not provide benefit after successful primary PCI in patients in whom early ambulation is likely.

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

Among 2,932 STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI in HORIZONS-AMI, the 29.6% given routine post-procedural anticoagulation had no fewer ischemic or bleeding events but stayed hospitalized longer (median six vs four days), suggesting it may not benefit patients likely to ambulate early.

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