HORIZONS trial: a step forward for primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Bivalirudin has been associated with decreased bleeding, with similar rates of ischemia in patients with stable angina, unstable angina, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial tested whether with primary PCI, bivalirudin--compared with unfractionated heparin plus a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor--reduced bleeding and net clinical benefit (bleeding, death, reinfarction, target-vessel revascularization for ischemia or stroke). Bivalirudin reduced major bleeding by 40% (4.9 vs 8.3%; risk ratio [RR]: 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.77; p < 0.0001) as compared with unfractionated heparin and a IIb/IIIa antagonist. Net adverse clinical events were reduced (9.2 vs 12.1%; RR: 0.76: 95% CI: 0.63-0.92; p = 0.005). Cardiac death and total death at 30 days were reduced with bivalirudin (1.8 vs 2.9%; p = 0.03) and (2.1 vs 3.1%; p = 0.047), and at 12 months (2.1 vs 3.8%; p < 0.005) and (3.4 vs 4.8%; p = 0.029), respectively. Bivalirudin reduced bleeding and net adverse clinical events as well as mortality compared with unfractionated heparin and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. Bivalirudin is an attractive antithrombotic choice in patients undergoing primary PCI.