One-year clinical outcomes of ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction: From Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Data

Background: Ticagrelor has been widely accepted in clinical practice for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), however its clinical safety and efficacy have not been revealed sufficiently in Asian populations. Methods and results: Among a total 20,270 patients (age <75 years) with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention who received dual antiplatelet therapy for at least 30 days, clinical outcomes at 1 year were assessed from the database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea between 2013 and 2014. Ticagrelor showed a significant effect on reduction of all-cause death [stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighted (sIPTW)-adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42–0.77, p < 0.001]. Stroke was also reduced by using ticagrelor (sIPTW-aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.41–0.82, p = 0.002). Bleeding risk was not increased by ticagrelor use. There were nearly 30% of patients who switched from ticagrelor to different P2Y12 inhibitors. Switching P2Y12 inhibitors was associated with clinical adverse events including MI, stroke, and bleeding. Conclusions: Among patients aged younger than 75 years, ticagrelor was associated with lower incidence of all-cause mortality. Stroke risk was also reduced in patients with a prescription for ticagrelor without an increase in bleeding risk.