Ticagrelor Antiplatelet Therapy to Reduce Graft Events and Thrombosis



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Cardiology
Therapuetic Areas:Cardiology / Vascular Diseases
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 90
Updated:1/28/2018
Start Date:September 2014
End Date:August 2023
Contact:Alexander Kulik, MD MPH
Email:alex_kulik@yahoo.com
Phone:561-955-6300

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Ticagrelor Antiplatelet Therapy to Reduce Graft Events and Thrombosis (TARGET Trial): Does Ticagrelor Improve Graft Patency After Coronary Bypass?

Saphenous vein graft disease remains an unresolved medical problem. Many vein grafts occlude
in the first year after bypass surgery, leading to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including
recurrent angina, myocardial infarction, and the need for repeat coronary intervention. While
aspirin is the standard antiplatelet treatment after CABG surgery, 10-20% of vein grafts
continue to occlude despite contemporary secondary preventative therapy. Compared to aspirin
and other antiplatelet therapies like clopidogrel, ticagrelor treatment leads to a more
pronounced platelet inhibition, and may substantially improve graft patency following CABG
compared to aspirin. No data has yet to be collected regarding the impact of ticagrelor on
saphenous vein graft patency following CABG. In this context, the investigators seek to
compare vein graft patency between patients randomized to receive aspirin therapy, the
current standard of care, or ticagrelor treatment, starting in the early postoperative
period, and continuing for 2 years after CABG.

This clinical trial will be a randomized double-blind study focusing on ticagrelor
antiplatelet therapy as a means of improving vein graft patency after CABG. Patients will be
eligible if they have received at least 1 vein bypass graft at time of surgery. Patients will
be randomized to receive either aspirin 81 mg bid or ticagrelor 90 mg bid. The aspirin and
ticagrelor medications will be prepared in blinded capsules. Patients recovering from surgery
will be eligible for study randomization within the first 5 postoperative days. Treatment
will continue for 1 year, at which time patients will undergo a CT coronary angiogram to
assess graft patency. Patients will then be invited to continue participating in the trial
for 1 more year, and a repeat CT coronary angiogram will be performed at the 2 year
postoperative time-point.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Provision of informed consent prior to any study specific procedures

2. Female and/or male patients aged 18-90 years

3. Patients undergoing first-time CABG with at least 1 saphenous vein graft, irrespective
of concurrent valve surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to provide informed consent

2. Pregnancy or seeking pregnancy

3. Patients undergoing redo-CABG

4. Serum creatinine >1.8 mg/dL (need for contrast with CT coronary angiogram)

5. Hypersensitivity or allergy to aspirin or ticagrelor

6. Anticipated need for postoperative anticoagulation with coumadin, dabigatran or
rivaroxaban (mechanical valve, chronic atrial fibrillation, DVT/PE)

7. History of gastrointestinal hemorrhage

8. Active pathological bleeding

9. History of intracranial hemorrhage

10. Severe hepatic impairment

11. Current or anticipated use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole,
clarithromycin, nefazadone, ritonavir, and atazanavir)
We found this trial at
2
sites
Boca Raton, Florida 33486
Principal Investigator: Alexander Kulik, MD MPH
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from
Boca Raton, FL
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Ottawa, Ontario
Principal Investigator: Marc Ruel, MD MPH
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from
Ottawa,
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