The recent study shows 'super-aspirins' may work better for heart attack patients

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A new study shows that so-called "super-aspirins" may be better at preventing second attacks in heart attack patients -- meaning they could save thousands of lives every year.

For years doctors have prescribed aspirin to thin the blood of heart attack patients, reducing blood clotting and the threat of a second heart attack. But in recent years, new medications -- actually platelet inhibitors and not aspirins at all -- are allowing doctors to be more aggressive when re-opening blocked arteries in the heart.

"We can now take on harder cases," said Dr. Ezra Deutsch of the New York-Cornell Medical Center. "We can take higher risk, sicker patients who have a lot of clot in the arteries and using these medicines perform interventional procedures."

"These drugs also make platelets less sticky, but to a degree much greater than what we've seen with just aspirin in the past," said Dr. David F. Kong of the Duke University Medical Center.

Researchers say platelet inhibitors are the next wave of drugs to treat heart patients
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Researchers say platelet inhibitors are the next wave of drugs available to treat heart patients. A new study in Circulation -- the journal of the American Heart Association -- confirms their effectiveness.

"These 'super-aspirin' compounds reduce the number of deaths in people who are coming to hospitals with either unstable angina -- that's impending heart attack -- ... mild heart attack or undergoing balloon angioplasty procedures by one death per thousand, said Kong.

And there are long term benefits as well. Kong said that fewer heart attack patients are dying, having another heart attack or returning to the hospital for further treatments.

Numerous studies confirm anti-platelet drugs are effective for high risk and moderate risk patients. But more study is needed to determine if these drugs should be given to low risk patients as well.

Research efforts are under way to evaluate anti-platelet drugs in pill form -- they're currently only available by IV. Researchers are also considering anti-platelet drugs to help treat and reduce the risk of stroke.