Findings from three real-world evidence clinical studies supported by AstraZeneca have indicated the need for better secondary prevention of long-term ischemic risk in people who have survived a heart attack.
The results from PRECLUDE-2, TIGRIS and ATHENA studies were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2018 in Munich, Germany.
Trial data highlighted the ongoing and constant risk of recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events and death in diabetics and heart attack survivors.
The TIGRIS study was conducted in 9,000 patients and showed that the risk of such recurrent CV events remains persistent even in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).
PRECLUDE-2 was a Swedish registry study that monitored more than 100,000 patients. It was observed that most of the post-Myocardial infarction (MI) patients with a minimum of two CV disease risk factors had a marked but gradual rise in CV death, MI or stroke incidence.
In case of all five cardiovascular risk factors studied, up to nine-fold increase in incidence of CV events were found when compared to the presence of only one risk factor.
AstraZeneca Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism Medical Affairs vice-president Danilo Verge said: “An estimated seven million people worldwide experience a potentially fatal heart attack every year. For those who survive, it is often the start of a journey into declining cardiovascular health.
“Results from PRECLUDE-2 study demonstrate that long-term CV risk is particularly pronounced for heart attack survivors with additional risk factors.”
Verge added that the findings can aid in identifying patients who can potentially benefit from secondary prevention therapies.
In more than 300,000 patients with type-2 diabetes, the ATHENA study specifically explored the cardiovascular risk.
Findings revealed that diabetics with CAD or a prior heart attack or stroke are at greater risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke in the future, compared to patients with only diabetes.
The higher risk is said to be mainly due to an increased risk of myocardial infarction. This in turn indicates the need for better secondary prevention therapies.