Contemporary use of ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome: insights from Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART)

Aims The platelet inhibitor ticagrelor is strongly recommended during 12 months post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in European guidelines. We analysed clinical characteristics of patients given ticagrelor for ACS in the real world. Methods and results We studied the use of ticagrelor in patients admitted for ACS in Sweden between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013 who were enrolled in the Swedish Web system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART). Clinical characteristics were investigated for patients prescribed ticagrelor at discharge as well as for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention who were prescribed ticagrelor. Independent factors associated with selecting ticagrelor were analysed in logistic regression. We found that 44.0% (n = 12 601) out of a total of 28 639 patients had been prescribed ticagrelor at discharge. After adjusting for age and sex, prior cardiovascular disease was less common in patients discharged on ticagrelor (myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, and peripheral vascular disease; P for all