Aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin use and outcomes in a cohort of 580 patients discharged after hospitalization for decompensated heart failure

The benefits of taking of aspirin, clopidogrel, and warfarin in relation to cardiovascular mortality and re-hospitalization in chronic heart failure (HF) patients have been called into question. We examined the outcomes (cardiac mortality and/or HF re-hospitalization) in patients discharged from our hospital between January 2003 and July 2009 after hospitalization for chronic decompensated HF. Of 580 HF patients (mean age, 63 ± 13 years; mean ejection fraction, 26 ± 9%, 63% with coronary disease and 37% without coronary disease), 207 patients (36%) died due to cardiovascular reasons, and 313 (54%) required HF re-hospitalization for decompensated HF during a 39 ± 14 month follow-up period. 101 (17%) patients were taking clopidogrel during enrollment in the study. When comparing patients who were on clopidogrel treatment with those who were not, clopidogrel was found to have a beneficial effect on cardiac mortality (27 vs. 38%, P = 0.04). In conclusion, in this observational prospective study, patients who used clopidogrel showed decreased cardiac mortality [HR, 0.566 (95% CI 0.332-0.964), P = 0.036] compared to patients who did not take clopidogrel. Clopidogrel had a beneficial effect on the survival of chronic HF patients in the long term.