NICE recommends Brilique for high-risk post-heart attack patients

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today published a final appraisal determination (FAD) recommending AstraZeneca’s  anti-clotting treatment Brilique (ticagrelor) 60mg with aspirin, within its marketing authorization, as an option for preventing atherothrombotic events in adults who have had myocardial infarction and who are at high risk of a further event.

Treatment should be stopped when clinically indicated or at a maximum of three years, the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales indicated. High risk patients include those having at least one of the following risk factors: being at least 65 years old; diabetes mellitus requiring medication; a second prior MI of at least one year; evidence of multivessel coronary artery disease, or chronic non-end-stage renal dysfunction.

“Secondary prevention for heart attack patients is critically important for their physical and psychological wellbeing” Professor Rob Storey, Professor of Cardiology, University of Sheffield, “Today’s NICE recommendation is an important step forward in enabling us as clinicians to continue reducing patients’ risk of a further atherothrombotic event, including another heart attack or stroke, in the first few years following an initial heart attack.”