Depending on their medical status and history, different groups of patients in the trial were at higher or lower risk for stroke, heart attack, or cardiovascular death. On the low end of the risk scale ”7 percent ”were those with no diabetes and only risk factors for atherothrombosis. The risk rose to as high as 25 percent for those with clinical evidence of atherothrombosis in multiple arteries and a history of heart attack or stroke. The presence of diabetes also raised the risk considerably.

"Even stable patients with a previous heart attack or stroke are at particularly high risk of recurrence if they have plaque build-up in several different arteries or if they have diabetes," said Bhatt. "These types of patients need aggressive preventive efforts to keep history from repeating itself."

Knowing that "not all atherothrombosis is equal," write Bhatt and colleagues, can help doctors target therapies such as plaque-reducing and clot-busting drugs to those patients who will benefit most. VA Chief Research and Development Officer Dr. Joel Kupersmith adds, "this study illustrates the importance of basic clinical information in determining the best care for the individual patient."

SOURCE Department of Veterans Affairs