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BACKGROUND: The use of intensive lipid-lowering therapy by means of statin medications is recommended after transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke of atherosclerotic origin. The target level for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to reduce cardiovascular events after stroke has not been well studied. METHODS: In this parallel-group trial conducted in France and South Korea, we randomly assigned patients with ischemic stroke in the previous 3 months or a TIA within the previous 15 days to a target LDL cholesterol level of less than 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter) (lower-target group) or to a target range of 90 mg to 110 mg per deciliter (2.3 to 2.8 mmol per liter) (higher-target group). All the patients had evidence of cerebrovascular or coronary-artery atherosclerosis and received a statin, ezetimibe, or both. The composite primary end point of major cardiovascular events included ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, new symptoms leading to urgent coronary or carotid revascularization, or death from cardiovascular causes. RESULTS: A total of 2860 patients were enrolled and followed for a median of 3.5 years; 1430 were assigned to each LDL cholesterol target group. The mean LDL cholesterol level at baseline was 135 mg per deciliter (3.5 mmol per liter), and the mean achieved LDL cholesterol level was 65 mg per deciliter (1.7 mmol per liter) in the lower-target group and 96 mg per deciliter (2.5 mmol per liter) in the higher-target group. The trial was stopped for administrative reasons after 277 of an anticipated 385 end-point events had occurred. The composite primary end point occurred in 121 patients (8.5%) in the lower-target group and in 156 (10.9%) in the highertarget group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.61 to 0.98; P=0.04). The incidence of intracranial hemorrhage and newly diagnosed diabetes did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: After an ischemic stroke or TIA with evidence of atherosclerosis, patients who had a target LDL cholesterol level of less than 70 mg per deciliter had a lower risk of subsequent cardiovascular events than those who had a target range of 90 mg to 110 mg per deciliter. (Funded by the French Ministry of Health and others; Treat Stroke to Target ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252875.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality - especially in patients aged≥65 years in high-income countries - and represents a high healthcare burden. In the past decade, the epidemiology and management of heart failure (HF) has changed, with the emergence of new medical and interventional therapeutics, but up-to-date real-life data are scarce., Aims: The main objectives are to describe baseline characteristics (with an emphasis on lifestyle, cognitive status, HF knowledge and treatment adherence), management, and in-hospital and mid-term outcomes of AHF patients in France. Secondary objectives are to investigate determinants of prognosis, modalities of treatment and follow-up, and identify gaps between guidelines and real-life management., Methods: OFICA2 is a prospective multicentre observational survey that enrolled 1513 patients hospitalized for AHF in 80 participating centres in France during March and April 2021. The diagnosis of AHF was made according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines definition. Inclusion criteria were age≥18years, health coverage and consent to participate. Detailed information was collected prospectively starting at admission. Thanks to direct linking with the French National Health Database, the anteriority up to 2years before inclusion, as well as a 3-year follow-up is specified for each patient and includes individual information on death, hospital admissions, major clinical events, drug delivery and use of reimbursed health resources., Conclusion: This cohort provides a representative snapshot on contemporary AHF, with a particular focus on self-care determinants, and will improve knowledge about AHF presentation, management and outcomes., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Background: Despite major advances in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular diseases - particularly acute myocardial infarction - remain a leading cause of death worldwide and in France. Collecting contemporary data about the characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction in France is important., Aims: The main objectives are to describe baseline characteristics, contemporary management, in-hospital and long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction hospitalized in tertiary care centres in France; secondary objectives are to investigate determinants of prognosis (including periodontal disease and sleep-disordered breathing), to identify gaps between evidence-based recommendations and management and to assess medical care costs for the index hospitalization and during the follow-up period., Methods: FRENCHIE (FRENch CoHort of myocardial Infarction Evaluation) is an ongoing prospective multicentre observational study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04050956) enrolling more than 19,000 patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction with onset of symptoms within 48hours in 35 participating centres in France since March 2019. Main exclusion criteria are age<18 years, lack of health coverage and procedure-related myocardial infarction (types 4a and 5). Detailed information was collected prospectively, starting at admission, including demographic data, risk factors, medical history and treatments, initial management, with prehospital care pathways and medication doses, and outcomes until hospital discharge. The follow-up period (up to 20 years for each patient) is ensured by linking with the French national health database (Système national des données de santé), and includes information on death, hospital admissions, major clinical events, healthcare consumption (including drug reimbursement) and total healthcare costs. FRENCHIE is also used as a platform for cohort-nested studies - currently three randomized trials and two observational studies., Conclusions: This nationwide large contemporary cohort with very long-term follow-up will improve knowledge about acute myocardial infarction management and outcomes in France, and provide a useful platform for nested studies and trials., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB) is a frequently encountered electrical abnormality in patients with chronic (more than 3 months after myocardial infarction, or evidence of coronary artery disease with ischemia) coronary syndromes (CCS), but its prognostic significance remains unclear. We aimed to describe the prevalence, incidence and five-year outcomes of LBBB in outpatients with CCS using the CLARIFY registry. Main outcome was a composite of CV death, MI or stroke. Secondary outcomes included all cause death, hospitalization for heart failure (HF) and permanent pacemaker implantation. Among 23.544 patients with available information regarding LBBB status at baseline, 1.041 (4.4%) had LBBB at baseline and 1.015 (4.5%) patients developed a new LBBB during 5-year follow-up. In multivariate analysis, LBBB at baseline was not associated with the composite outcome of CV death, MI or stroke (HR 1.06, 95% CI [0.86 - 1.31], p = 0.67) or the risk of all-cause death (HR 1.07, 95% CI [0.87 - 1.32], p = 0.52) but was significantly associated with a higher risk of hospitalization for HF (HR 1.50, 95% CI [1.21 - 1.88], p < 0.001) and permanent pacemaker implantation (HR 2.11, 95% CI [1.45 - 3.07], p < 0.001). The main factors associated with new-onset LBBB were male sex (HR 0.8 [0.66-0.98], p = 0.028) history of atrial fibrillation (HR 1.29, 95% CI [1.01 - 1.64], p = 0.04), CABG (HR 1.27, [1.08 - 1.51], p = 0.004) and MI (HR 1.19, 95% CI [1.01 - 1.40], p = 0.034). In conclusion, in a contemporary registry of outpatients with CCS, the prevalence of LBBB was 4.4% and the additional 5-years incidence 6.2%. LBBB, in itself, was not associated with a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events or all cause mortality. It was however an independent predictor of risk of hospitalization for heart failure and permanent pacemaker implantation., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Following the publication of the COMPASS trial, the European Medicines Agency has approved a regimen of combination of rivaroxaban 2.5mg twice daily and a daily dose of 75-100mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) or symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) at high risk of ischemic events. However, the applicability of such a therapeutic strategy in France is currently unknown., Aims: To describe the proportion of patients eligible to COMPASS in France, their baseline clinical characteristics and the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events, using the REACH registry., Methods: From the the REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry database, a large international registry of patients with, or at risk, of atherothrombosis, we analyzed patients included in France with either established CAD and/or PAD and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the COMPASS trial. The ischemic outcome was a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke, and serious bleeding were defined as haemorrhagic stroke or bleeding leading to hospitalization or transfusion., Results: Among more than 65000 patients enrolled in REACH, 2.012 patients were evaluable and enrolled in France. Among them, 1194 patients (59.3%) were eligible to COMPASS. The main reasons for exclusion of the COMPASS trial, were high bleeding risk (59.1%), anticoagulant use (43.4%), requirement for dual antiplatelet therapy within 1 year of an ACS or PCI (24.7%). In the "COMPASS eligible population", the rate of MACE (CV, MI and stroke) at 4 years follow-up was 13.4% [11.3-15.8], and serious bleeding was 2.5% at 4 years [1.6-3.4]. Patients with polyvascular disease (n=219) had the highest rate of MACE, compared with patients with CAD only and PAD only (19.1% [13.9-26.1] vs. 11.6% [9.1-14.8] vs 13.2% [9.2-18.8], P<0.0001, respectively)., Conclusion: The COMPASS therapeutic strategy in France appears to be applicable to more than half of CAD or PAD patients. This population appears at high residual risk of atherothrombotic events, and patients with polyvascular disease experienced the highest rate of events., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) exposes to the risk of device thrombosis in patients with atrial fibrillation who frequently have a contraindication to full anticoagulation. Thereby, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is usually preferred. No randomized study has evaluated nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant after LAAC, and we decided to evaluate the efficacy and safety of reduced doses of rivaroxaban after LAAC., Methods: ADRIFT (Assessment of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Versus Rivaroxaban in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Treated With Left Atrial Appendage Closure) is a multicenter, phase IIb study, which randomized 105 patients after successful LAAC to either rivaroxaban 10 mg (R 10 , n=37), rivaroxaban 15 mg (R 15 , n=35), or DAPT with aspirin 75 mg and clopidogrel 75 mg (n=33). The primary end point was thrombin generation (prothrombin fragments 1+2) measured 2 to 4 hours after drug intake, 10 days after treatment initiation. Thrombin-antithrombin complex, D-dimers, rivaroxaban concentrations were also measured at 10 days and 3 months. Clinical end points were evaluated at 3-month follow-up., Results: The primary end point was reduced with R 10 (179 pmol/L [interquartile range (IQR), 129-273], P <0.0001) and R 15 (163 pmol/L [IQR, 112-231], P <0.0001) as compared with DAPT (322 pmol/L [IQR, 218-528]). We observed no significant reduction of the primary end point between R 10 and R 15 while rivaroxaban concentrations increased significantly from 184 ng/mL (IQR, 127-290) with R 10 to 274 ng/mL (IQR, 192-377) with R 15 , P <0.0001. Thrombin-antithrombin complex and D-dimers were numerically lower with both rivaroxaban doses than with DAPT. These findings were all confirmed at 3 months. The clinical end points were not different between groups. A device thrombosis was noted in 2 patients assigned to DAPT., Conclusions: Thrombin generation measured after LAAC was lower in patients treated by reduced rivaroxaban doses than DAPT, supporting an alternative to the antithrombotic regimens currently used after LAAC and deserves further evaluation in larger studies. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03273322.

Non-vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have recently challenged vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke and systemic embolism prophylaxis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Nevertheless, little information is available in routine clinical practice for France. The aim of this study is to describe the effectiveness and safety of apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran or VKAs in routine clinical practice in adult NVAF patients for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in France. The NAXOS study is a nationwide observational retrospective cohort generated from the French national healthcare insurance database (SNIIRAM-a comprehensive in- and outpatient healthcare consumption database), consisting of eight distinct sub-cohorts of anticoagulant-naive or anticoagulant-experienced patients diagnosed with NVAF, newly initiated with either NOACs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban or apixaban) or VKAs. Patients will be included if initiating a new anticoagulant treatment for AF during the study period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Primary effectiveness outcome will be the incidence of stroke or systemic thromboembolic events; primary safety outcome will be the incidence of major bleeding during the exposure period. The NAXOS study will provide routine clinical practice data on the effectiveness and safety profiles of apixaban vs other NOACs and VKAs in the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in adult patients with NVAF in clinical practice conditions in France., (© 2019 The Authors. Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation is strongly recommended in patients after acute myocardial infarction., Aims: To assess cardiac rehabilitation prescription after acute myocardial infarction according to predicted risk, and its association with 1-year mortality, using the FAST-MI registries., Methods: We used data from three 1-month French nationwide registries, conducted 5 years apart from 2005 to 2015, including 13130 patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to coronary or intensive care units. Atherothrombotic risk stratification was performed using the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS-2P). Patients were classified into three categories: Group 1 (low risk; no or one risk indicator; score of 0 or 1); Group 2 (intermediate risk; two risk indicators; score of 2); and Group 3 (high risk; at least three risk indicators; score of≥3)., Results: Among the 12291 patients, cardiac rehabilitation prescription was 43.6% (49.9% in Group 1; 43.0% in Group 2; 35.2% in Group 3). Using Cox multivariable analysis, cardiac rehabilitation prescription was associated with lower mortality at 1 year in the overall population (3.8% vs. 8.2%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.85; P<0.001). Cardiac rehabilitation was associated with improved 1-year mortality, with homogeneous relative risk reductions in low- and intermediate-risk categories (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51-0.94) compared with high-risk patients (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.59-0.88). In absolute terms, however, mortality decrease associated with cardiac rehabilitation was positively correlated with risk level (Group 1, 0.9% vs. 2.4%; Group 2, 3.0% vs. 4.2%; Group 3, 10.5% vs. 17.3%)., Conclusion: Cardiac rehabilitation prescription was inversely correlated with patient risk. A positive association between cardiac rehabilitation and 1-year survival after acute myocardial infarction was present whatever the risk level, but the greatest mortality reduction was observed in high-risk patients., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy ( PMC ) was the first available transcatheter technique for treatment of mitral valve diseases. Experience has led to extending the indications to patients with less favorable characteristics. We aimed to analyze (1) the temporal trends in characteristic and outcomes of patients undergoing PMC in a single center over 30 years and (2) the predictive factors of poor immediate results of PMC . Methods and Results From 1987 to 2016, 1 full year for each decade was analyzed: 1987, 1996, 2006, and 2016. Poor immediate results of PMC were defined as a mitral valve area <1.5 cm 2 or MR (mitral regurgitation) grade >2. Mitral anatomy was assessed using the Cormier classification and the fluoroscopic extent of calcification. Six hundred three patients were included: 111, 202, 205, and 85, respectively. Mean age increased >10 years over time ( P<0.0001). Mitral anatomy was less favorable over the years: the presence of calcification increased from 25% of patients at the beginning of PMC to >40% during the past decade ( P<0.0001) with a 3-fold increase in severe mitral calcification. Consistently, the proportion of good immediate results decreased over time ( P<0.05) but remained at 76% in 2016. Multivariate analysis showed 3 predictive factors of poor immediate results: smaller baseline mitral valve area ( P<0.0001), pre- PMC MR grade 2 ( P<0.01), and the presence or amount of calcification ( P<0.001). Conclusions This clinic's patients became significantly older with more frequent and severe calcification in the past decade. Predictive factors of poor immediate results were related to valve anatomy, including calcification. Despite challenges raised by severe calcification, PMC was still successful in >3 out of 4 patients in recent years.

Background: Guidelines recommend using risk stratification tools in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to assist decision-making. The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS-2P) has been recently developed to characterize long-term risk in patients with MI., Hypothesis: We aimed to assess the TRS-2P in the French Registry of Acute ST Elevation or non-ST elevation MI registries., Methods: We used data from three 1-month French registries, conducted 5 years apart, from 2005 to 2015, including 13 130 patients with AMI (52% ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI]). Atherothrombotic risk stratification was performed using the TRS-2P score. Patients were divided in to three categories: G1 (low-risk, TRS-2P = 0/1); G2 (intermediate-risk, TRS-2P = 2); and G3 (high-risk, TRS-2P ≥ 3). Baseline characteristics and outcomes were analyzed according to TRS-2P categories., Results: A total of 12 715 patients (in whom TRS-2P was available) were included. Prevalence of G1, G2, and G3 was 43%, 24%, and 33% respectively. Clinical characteristics and management significantly differed according to TRS-2P categories. TRS-2P successfully defined residual risk of death at 1 year (C-statistic 0.78): 1-year survival was 98% in G1, 94% in G2, and 78.5% in G3 (P < 0.001). Using Cox multivariate analysis, G3 was independently associated with higher risk of death at 1 year (hazard ratio [HR] 4.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.61-5.89), as G2 (HR 2.08; 95% CI: 1.62-2.65) compared with G1. The score appeared robust and correlated well with mortality in STEMI and NSTEMI populations, as well as in each cohort separately., Conclusions: The TRS-2P appears to be a robust risk score, identifying patients at high risk after AMI irrespective of the type of MI and historical period., (© 2018 The Authors. Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: An association between transfusion during index hospitalization and increased subsequent mortality has been reported in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Whether this reflects the prognostic role of transfusion per se, or the impact of the index event leading to transfusion, remains unclear. We sought to evaluate the impact of transfusion on mortality in patients with AMI., Methods: Using the nationwide FAST-MI 2005 AMI registry, we recorded anemia on admission, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction major or minor bleeding, and transfusions during hospital stay. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of in-hospital and 5-year mortality. Cohorts of patients matched for propensity to receive transfusion were compared., Results: Among 3541 patients with AMI, 827 (23.4%) had anemia on admission, 114 (3.2%) had minor or major bleeding, and 151 (4.3%) underwent transfusion. After multivariable analysis, both anemia and bleeding were independently associated with 5-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.6 and HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8, respectively), whereas transfusion did not appear to be an independent predictor (HR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8-1.5). Mortality at 5 years did not differ between cohorts matched for propensity to receive transfusion., Conclusions: In this cohort, anemia on admission and bleeding during hospitalization were both associated with increased 5-year mortality in patients with myocardial infarction. Conversely, transfusion per se was not associated with lower survival. Further work is needed to clarify the optimal transfusion strategy in patients with bleeding or anemia and myocardial infarction., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

There is intense interest in examining hospital mortality in relation to gender in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The aim of the present study was to determine whether gender influences outcomes in men and women treated with the same patency-oriented reperfusion strategy. The influence of gender on hospital mortality was tested using multivariate analysis and local regression. The influence of age was tested as a continuous and as a categorical variable. In the overall population of 2,600 consecutive patients, gender was not correlated with hospital mortality except in the subgroup of women aged ≥65 years. The risk for death increased linearly in logit scale for men. Up to the age of 65 years, the risk also increased linearly in women but thereafter increased faster than in men. Testing age as a categorical variable, hospital mortality was higher in women than in men aged ≥75 years but was similar between the genders in the younger age categories. In conclusion, despite following an equal patency-oriented management strategy in men and women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions, the risk for hospital death increased linearly with age but with an interaction between age and gender such that older women had an independent increase in hospital mortality. Longer time to presentation and worse baseline characteristics probably contributed to determine a high-risk subset but reinforce the need to apply, as recommended in the international guidelines in the management of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions, the same strategy of acute reperfusion in men and women., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiogenic shock is one of the most serious complications of the acute myocardial infarction. Advances in interventional cardiology and early reperfusion strategy improved its management., Aim: Analysis of the clinical characteristics, management and prognostic evolution of patients admitted within 6 hours onset with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock., Methods: Follow-up study based on 2200 consecutive patients admitted with STEMI within 6 hours of symptom onset from 1988 to 2008. Among them 114 matched the criteria of cardiogenic shock. These were divided in two groups, according to the period: group 1 (N=57, among the first 1100 STEMI from 1988 to 1998) and group 2 (N=57, among the following 1100 STEMI from 1999 to 2008)., Results: This trial shows a similar rate of cardiogenic shock in STEMI (5%) in both 1100 patients groups. There is no overall change in patient's clinical characteristics, but improvements in earlier management, prehospital fibrinolysis and ventricular fibrillation treatment have been detected. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention was the most common revascularisation strategy. The proportion of patients achieving acute TIMI-3 flow in the infarct related artery increased (61% vs 80%, p= 0.11) but the mortality was still high (74% vs 63%, p= 0.22)., Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of cardiogenic shock remain unchanged; its management is more successful with more often early reperfusion. The decline of mortality is unfortunately not significant. More aggressive treatment should probably be considered to improve outcomes.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the impact of invasive strategy (IS) versus a conservative strategy (CS) on in-hospital complications and 3-year outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) from the FAST-MI (French Registry of Acute Coronary Syndrome)., Background: Results from randomized trials comparing IS and CS in patients with NSTEMI are conflicting., Methods: Of the 3,670 patients in FAST-MI, which included patients with acute myocardial infarction (within 48 h) over a 1-month period in France at the end of 2005, 1,645 presented with NSTEMI., Results: Of the 1,645 patients analyzed, 80% had an IS. Patients in the IS group were younger (67 ± 12 years vs. 80 ± 11 years), less often women (29% vs. 51%), and had a lower GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score (137 ± 36 vs. 178 ± 34) than patients treated with CS. In-hospital mortality and blood transfusions were significantly more frequent in patients with CS versus IS (13.1% vs. 2.0%, 9.1% vs. 4.6%). Use of IS was associated with a significant reduction in 3-year mortality and cardiovascular death (17% vs. 60%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35 to 0.55 and 8% vs. 36%, adjusted HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.50). After propensity score matching (181 patients per group), 3-year survival was significantly higher in patients treated with IS., Conclusions: In a real-world setting of patients admitted with NSTEMI, the use of IS during the initial hospital stay is an independent predictor of improved 3-year survival, regardless of age. (French Registry of Acute Coronary Syndrome [FAST-MI]; NCT00673036)., (Copyright © 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Patients on antiplatelet therapy have a gastrointestinal bleeding risk. It is increased by risk factors. The frequency of those risk factors, the prevalence of upper digestive symptoms and their management in patients on antiplatelet agents is unknown., Patients and Methods: We performed an observational multi-centred prospective survey among 560 French cardiologists with private practice. Each cardiologist completed a questionnaire for the first four patients treated with antiplatelet agents in primary or secondary prevention., Results: Among the 2182 patients included, (age = 67 ± 11 years; 74% male), 83% had at least one gastrointestinal bleeding risk factor and 38.9% had a history of upper digestive tract symptom. A history of gastrointestinal bleeding was reported in 3.4% and a history of documented gastro-duodenal ulcer in 5.5%. A proton pump inhibitor was already prescribed in 39% of the patients. At the time of the consultation, upper digestive symptoms were described in 21% of the patients. In those patients with symptoms, 85% had no modification in antiplatelet therapy and 62.7% were prescribed gastro-protective drugs (proton pump inhibitors: 51.8%, H(2)-blockers 3.6% other anti-acid medication: 7.3%)., Conclusion: Among patients on antiplatelet agents, the prevalence of upper digestive symptoms and risk factors for gastrointestinal bleeding is high. Preventative management needs to be clarified in this population., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)