2017 ESC focused update on dual antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease developed in collaboration with EACTS: The Task Force for dual antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease of ESC and EACTS M. Valgimigli, H. Bueno, R.A. Byrne, J.-P. Collet, F. Costa, A. Jeppsson, P. Jüni, A. Kastrati, P. Kolh, L. Mauri, G. Montalescot, F.-J. Neumann, M. Petricevic, M. Roffi, P.G. Steg, S. Windecker, J.L. Zamorano, G.N. Levine

Abstract

Guidelines and Focused Updates written under the auspices of the European Society of Cardiology’s (ESC) Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG) summarize and evaluate available evidence with the aim of assisting health professionals in selecting the best management strategies for an individual patient with a given condition. The CPG Guidelines’ and Focused Updates’ recommendations should facilitate decision making of health professionals in their daily practice. However, the final decisions concerning an individual patient must be made by the responsible health professional(s) in consultation with the patient and caregiver as appropriate. Members of this Task Force were selected by the ESC and EACTS to represent professionals involved with the medical care of patients with this pathology. Selected experts in the field undertook a comprehensive review of the published evidence for management of a given condition according to ESC CPG policy and approved by the EACTS. A critical evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was performed, including assessment of the risk – benefit ratio.