Chronic Stable Angina: Should ESC Guidelines on Clopidogrel as Pre-Treatment to Planned Coronary Angiography be Changed?

Petr Widimsky

Eckhart Fleck

REFERENCE: Hot Line II Monday 3rd Sept, European Society of Cardiology Congress, 2007, 1-5 September, Vienna, AustriaPETR WIDIMSKY, Charles University, PragueCOMMENT: ECKART FLECK, Deutsches Herzzentrum BerlinThe ESC guideline suggesting all patients with chronic stable angina having coronary angiography should have clopidogrel pre-treatment is now being questioned following findings of the PRAGUE-8 Study, which randomized patients to receive the anti-platelet agent either non selectively before angiography, or selectively after angiography in those considered to need PCI. The PRAGUE investigators concluded that the ESC guideline was unjustified for the treatment of elective angiography in chronic stable angina, and that the previous practice of selective administration of clopidogrel should be resumed. Nicola Solomon talked withPetr Widimskyat the ESC Congress in Vienna. Derek Thorne heard comments on the findings fromEckart Fleck.