Aspirin-free antithrombotic management following coronary stenting. Myth or reality?

The use of aspirin in combination with a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, also known as dual antiplatelet therapy, is at the cornerstone of treatment for patients undergoing coronary stenting. The use of newer generation P2Y12 inhibitors (ie, prasugrel and ticagrelor), characterized by more potent antiplatelet effects and better clinical outcomes compared to clopidogrel, are recommended in high-risk patients, such as those with an acute coronary syndrome. However, this occurs at the expense of increased bleeding that accumulates with the duration of treatment. Given the poor prognostic implication, including an increased mortality rate associated with bleeding, a number of strategies aimed at reducing the risk of this adverse event while preserving efficacy have emerged. Among these, withdrawing aspirin represents an ongoing line of clinical investigation. The pharmacological reason behind such strategy relies on the central role played by the metabolic pathway of P2Y12 receptor inhibitors on platelet activation and its contribution amplifying thrombotic processes. Thus, it has been hypothesized that in the presence of a powerful P2Y12 receptor blockade, aspirin may offer minimal contribution when it comes to reducing thrombotic complications, but rather contribute to increased bleeding complications. A number of ongoing clinical investigations are currently challenging the dogma of aspirin as a mandatory background therapy in patients undergoing coronary stenting.