Boosting protection for patients with non-acute cardiovascular disease: a focus on antithrombotic regimen (a consensus expert opinion from the Egyptian Society of Cardiology working group of thrombosis and prevention)

BACKGROUND: Till the moment of this document writing, no Egyptian consensus is there to guide selection of additional antithrombotic in stable patients with established CVD. Despite use of lifestyle measures and statins, those patients with established CVD still face a considerable burden of residual risk. MAIN BODY: With the evolvement of evidence-based medicine, there have been a lot of recommendations to use additional antithrombotic medications to maximize protection for those patients. Accordingly, the Egyptian Society of Cardiology working group of thrombosis and prevention took the responsibility of providing an expert consensus on the current recommendations for using antithrombotic medications to maximize protection in stable patients with established CVD. For stable patients with established CVD, in addition to proper lifestyle measures and appropriate dose statins, we recommend long-term aspirin therapy. In patients who are unable to take aspirin and in those with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, clopidogrel is a reasonable alternative. CONCLUSIONS: For some stable atherosclerotic CVD patients who are at high risk of cardiovascular events and at low risk for bleeding, a regimen of rivaroxaban and aspirin might be taken into consideration.