A new study has revealed a drug that is better than aspirin at preventing heart attacks and strokes.
Doctors found that clopidogrel, a commonly prescribed blood thinner, is more effective than aspirin at reducing the risk of a serious cardiovascular event.
The research also found the use of clopidogrel did not increase the risk of major bleeding, a common and serious side effect of blood thinners.
The discovery was revealed at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid, while the findings were published in the Lancet medical journal.
Low, daily doses of aspirin have been recommended by doctors for decades to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people who are at high risk of them.
Using aspirin in this way makes your blood less sticky and helps to reduce your rise of heart attacks, according to the NHS.
However, it also comes with the risk of serious side effects such as causing stomach ulcers, coughing up blood and painful joints in your hands and feet, says the NHS.
The medics behind the new study said their results show clopidogrel was “superior” to aspirin, which should lead to “extensive adoption” of the drug on a worldwide scale.
In the study of nearly 29,000 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and seven clinical trials, it was revealed that clopidogrel was more effective than aspirin in preventing serious heart and stroke events, without increasing the risk of major bleeding.
This challenges the longstanding recommendation of using aspirin indefinitely as the main medicine to prevent heart attacks for those who suffer with CAD.
Coronary artery disease affects the main vessels which supply blood to the heart and is caused by a build up of cholesterol in and on the artery walls, according to the Mayo clinic.
Common symptoms include chest pain and shortage of breath, while a complete blockage of blood flow can lead to a heart attack.
From their findings published in the Lancet, the medical team behind the discovery said: “In patients with CAD, long-term clopidogrel monotherapy offers superior protection against major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events compared with aspirin, without an excess risk of bleeding.”
They added the widespread availability and affordability of clopidogrel further reinforces why the drug should be adopted widely to treat CAD.
