Warfarin Therapy May Modify Underlying Pathology of Angina
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Welcome, D Kim
May 10, 2002
Warfarin Therapy May Modify Underlying Pathology of Angina
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 30 - Treatment with warfarin appears
to reduce the incidence of angina, according to a report in the April 22nd issue
of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The finding supports the idea that
warfarin modifies "the pathological condition of vessel walls" involved in
coronary heart disease.
"In primary prevention, anticoagulation with warfarin sodium to an
international normalized ratio of 1.5 and 75 mg of aspirin per day each reduced
the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD)," Dr. Tom W. Meade, of the
University of London, and colleagues note.
To examine the effects of warfarin on the development of angina and
total CHD, the researchers studied 5499 at-risk men between the ages of 45 and
69 years who were enrolled in the Thrombosis Prevention Trial. In a factorial
design, the patients received both warfarin and aspirin, either one or the
other, or placebo.
The incidence of stable angina was reduced by 16% with warfarin
treatment, although this was not significant at p = 0.26, according to the team.
The incidence was increased by 39% (p = 0.05) with aspirin. "The difference
between those taking warfarin alone and aspirin alone is now marginally
significant, with 37% fewer cases among those taking warfarin than taking
aspirin (p = 0.05)," they explain.
Total CHD was reduced by 18% with warfarin (p = 0.01), and by 8%
with aspirin (p = 0.36).
"Further research is needed to confirm or refute our findings,
because they carry potentially important implications for the primary prevention
of CHD with the use of antithrombotic agents," Dr. Meade and colleagues
conclude.
Arch Intern Med 2002;162:881-886.