Who may benefit from lowdose rivaroxaban plus aspirin? Practical implications for outpatients with cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Despite availability of effective preventive therapies based on guidelines, patients with vascular diseases continue to be at a high risk for recurrent ischemic events. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies are required to further reduce the residual risk present in these patients. Platelet aggregation and fibrin orga‑ nization are involved in arterial thrombosis. Rivaroxaban is capable of targeting both processes and has a synergistic effect when used in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), providing the so‑called dual pathway inhibition (DPI). The COMPASS (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagula‑ tion Strategies) trial showed that the DPI (a combination of rivaroxaban at 2.5 mg twice daily [vascular dose] and ASA at 100 mg once daily) reduced cardiovascular death, stroke, or myocardial infarction by 24% in patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Subse‑ quently, the VOYAGER PAD (Vascular Outcomes Study of ASA Along with Rivaroxaban in Endovascular or Surgical Limb Revascularization for PAD) trial confirmed the effectiveness of the vascular dose of rivaroxaban in patients with PAD after lower‑extremity revascularization, as compared with ASA alone. Therefore, DPI is recommended in the patients with CAD (+/– PAD) or symptomatic PAD at a high risk of ischemia. The purpose of this review is to examine the clinical benefits and practical implications of DPI in the CAD and PAD patients.