Trial Watch

 

DAPT Study. One of the most vexing issues in cardiology today is how long a person should take aspirin and a second anticlotting drug after getting an artery-opening stent. This dual drug therapy helps prevent potentially deadly clots from forming inside the stent, but it may also increase the risk of bleeding. Current recommendations call for taking the dual therapy for 12 months after getting a drug-eluting stent, while some experts believe the combination may need to be taken for life. The Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) Study plans to enroll more than 20,000 men and women who have just received a stent. All will take aspirin plus either clopidogrel (Plavix) or prasugrel (Effient) for 12 months. At that point, half of the participants will be randomly selected to continue dual therapy, and the other half will take aspirin and a placebo. More than 200 medical centers will take part in the trial, which is being coordinated by the Harvard Clinical Research Institute.

For more information about the trial, talk with your doctor, call 617-632-1370, or visit www.daptstudy.org. Taking part in the DAPT Study could help answer this important public health question.

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