antithrombotic treatment in patients with coronary artery ectasia

Abstract

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a type of atherosclerotic coronary artery diseasea which is detected in 3%–8% of individuals undergoing coronary angiography, either by itself or in conjunction with stenotic lesions. Regardless of the degree of stenotic lesions, the existence of ectatic segments can exacerbate exercise-induced angina and myocardial infarction by contributing to slow blood flow. Antiplatelet medications are the cornerstone of treatment for isolated CAE, where prognosis is improved. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the rivaroxaban effect on endothelial function in individuals with coronary artery ectasia whether slow flow is evident or not in addition to patients with slow flow along with normal coronary artery. Methods: patients were grouped into three groups which are patients with CAE with slow flow, patients with CAE without slow flow and patients with slow flow with normal coronary arteries. We compared endothelial function measured by flow mediated dilation (FMD) method before and after one month of treatment by rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily Results: FMD was significantly improved after treatment by rivaroxaban in all treated patients groups Conclusion: Rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily improves endothelial function in patients with CAE and/or slow flow