Purpose

Previous reports demonstrated a bleeding avoidance potential of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and β-blocker. It remains unclear whether early guideline-directed medical therapy [GDMT, i.e., the combined use of β-blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and statin] confers protection against bleeding in the setting of high-intensity antithrombotic therapy.

Methods

We assessed associations between the use of early (within the first 24 h) GDMT and in-hospital major bleeds, ischemic events and mortality among ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Acute Coronary Syndrome project.

Results

Among 34,538 STEMI patients without contra-indications to GDMT and eligible for analysis, 35.5% received early GDMT. In a 1-to-2 propensity-score matched cohort, compared with non-early GDMT, early GDMT was associated with a 25% reduction in major bleeds [odds ratio (OR) 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60–0.94], with parallel reductions in ischemic events (OR 0.60, 95%CI 0.45–0.78) and in-hospital mortality (OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.31–0.61). Early GDMT-associated reduction in major bleeds was generally consistently observed across different major bleeding definitions and in sensitivity analyses. Additionally, no significant interaction was observed in subgroup analyses.

Conclusion

In a large nationwide registry, early initiation of GDMT was associated with reduced risk for in-hospital major bleeds in STEMI patients treated with PCI. To improve the outcome of STEMI, further effort should be made to reinforce the early use of GDMT in this patient population.