Cardiology Practice and Research Network (PRN) members include students, residents, fellows, clinical pharmacists, faculty, researchers, and other practitioners with an interest in cardiovascular management. Established in 1992, the PRN has almost 1500 active members, including students, residents, and cardiology fellows. The Cardiology PRN advances the pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular disorders through the promotion of excellence in education, research, and clinical practice by enhancing the knowledge, skills, and productivity of its members. The PRN’s objectives are to provide a means for communication and networking among members; provide quality educational programming at national meetings; use the internet to facilitate access to information, expertise, and professional opportunities available through the PRN; and provide opportunities for collaborative research.
Regardless of whether you are a student, resident, fellow, or clinical specialist, a wide range of opportunities are available for those interested in participating. The PRN’s 8 committees are Membership, Budget & Finance, Research & Scholarship, Student & Trainee, Programming, Nominations, Communications & Social Media, and Executive. Each year, committee charges are reviewed and updated, providing multiple opportunities to collaborate and engage. The Cardiology PRN’s Student & Trainee Committee seeks to expand student, resident, and fellow involvement.
The Cardiology PRN is one of the most active PRNs on social media. Clinical updates and controversies are routinely discussed on X (formerly Twitter) @acccardprn. The PRN also recently joined LinkedIn, where you can stay up-to-date on PRN activities and in the know on clinical updates. These forums are excellent ways to stay up-to-date and engaged, but the Cardiology PRN’s community also provides a more traditional avenue for communicating through posting threads. The Cardiology PRN is the first PRN to pilot clinically based subcommunities tailored to various professional interests to better connect and engage our members. Together, there are many options for communication and networking.
Opportunities and Resources
The Cardiology PRN has many programs that all members, especially trainees, can benefit from attending (or presenting). Perhaps the most popular initiatives are the monthly (sometimes bimonthly) online educational offerings. These include PGY2 cardiology resident–led journal clubs and case conferences. One or 2 professional development webinars for members and trainees are also offered annually. This year, the PRN provided a webinar on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the pharmacy profession and how we can stay ahead of the curve with responsible use of AI. Trainees may also participate in writing articles in the Annual Student & Trainee Committee Newsletter.
The Cardiology PRN is also dedicated to financially helping trainees attend the ACCP Annual Meetings. Two travel awards of $750 each are offered to selected students, residents, and fellows. Winners can attend the PRN business meeting to network with other pharmacists with cardiology interests.
Antiplatelet Therapy in the Management of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Key Updates from the 2026 ACC Scientific Statement
Written by: Andre Omid Golshir, Pharm.D., PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Resident, Baptist Health South Florida
The 2026 American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific statement discusses the management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), highlighting individualized antiplatelet strategies to balance ischemic and bleeding risks. Risk calculators remain helpful, but the “one-size-fits-all” strategy is upgraded to a comprehensive assessment of patient-specific factors.1 The role of aspirin in primary prevention is no longer recommended for adults without ASCVD. Aspirin may be warranted in adults 40 to 70 years of age with elevated CV risk and low bleeding risk, but not in patients 70 and older or at high bleeding risk (HBR). Advances in both lipid-lowering therapies and screening tools provide effective preventive measures in lieu of routine aspirin for primary prevention.
Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) remains fundamental, particularly after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). For patients with ACS undergoing PCI, ticagrelor or prasugrel is preferred because of superior ischemic protection.2-4 Clopidogrel may be favored in adults older than 75 years or at HBR.
Dual antiplatelet therapy for 12 months after ACS and 6 months after PCI for chronic coronary disease (CCD) remains standard. Shorter DAPT durations are addressed and supported by several trials consisting of DAPT (1-3 months) followed by ticagrelor or prasugrel monotherapy. This strategy reduces bleeding risk without significantly increasing ischemic events. In the TWILIGHT trial, ticagrelor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT reduced clinically relevant bleeding compared with continued DAPT (4.0% vs 7.1%; P < .001).5 Similar findings were reported in the TICO and TARGET-FIRST trials.6,7 In addition, transitioning to clopidogrel 1 month after ACS may lower bleeding risk, but this strategy is only encouraged in patients at HBR.
There is also a trend toward P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy versus aspirin for secondary prevention. The HOST-EXAM trial showed that clopidogrel was superior to aspirin for the composite end point of death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, ACS readmission, or major bleeding (5.7% vs 7.7%; P = .003) in patients who had completed at least 6 months of DAPT.8 In SMART-CHOICE 3, clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with a lower incidence of all-cause death, MI, or stroke than aspirin monotherapy (4.4% vs 6.6%; HR, 0.71; P = .013) without an increase in major bleeding.9 This suggests that clopidogrel monotherapy provides feasible ischemic protection with lower bleeding risk than aspirin after DAPT.
Special considerations apply for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and patients requiring oral anticoagulation (OAC). In patients with PAD at high risk, low-dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin reduced CV and limb events in the COMPASS and VOYAGER-PAD trials but increased bleeding.10,11 In patients requiring OAC plus DAPT, a cautious approach is warranted. Triple therapy should be minimized, with early aspirin discontinuation and preference for clopidogrel over ticagrelor or prasugrel, plus a direct oral anticoagulant over warfarin. In patients with CCD and indications for anticoagulation who are at least 1 year from an ASCVD event, anticoagulant monotherapy should be considered to reduce major bleeding.
Future directions, pending FDA approval, include bentracimab, a monoclonal antibody fragment designed to reverse ticagrelor’s effects. According to the REVERSE-IT trial, bentracimab may be promising for those requiring urgent surgery or experiencing major bleeding.12 Overall, the 2026 ACC scientific statement reinforces a shift toward individualized strategies that balance ischemic and bleeding risks. Because evidence supports shorter DAPT durations, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy, and tailored treatment pathways for special populations, patient-specific risk assessment remains central to optimizing outcomes.
References
1. Kumbhani DJ, Gibson CM, Kinlay S, et al. Antiplatelet therapy in the management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: 2026 ACC scientific statement: a report of the American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published online June 30, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.05.037
2. Wallentin L, Becker RC, Budaj A, et al. Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(11):1045-1057. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0904327
3. Wiviott SD, Braunwald E, McCabe CH, et al. Prasugrel versus clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(20):2001-2015. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0706482
4. Schüpke S, Neumann FJ, Menichelli M, et al. Ticagrelor or prasugrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(16):1524-1534. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1908973
5. Nicolas J, Baber U, Mehran R. TWILIGHT: a randomized trial of ticagrelor monotherapy versus ticagrelor plus aspirin beginning at 3 months in high-risk patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. US Cardiol. 2020;14:e04. Published May 15, 2020. https://doi.org/10.15420/usc.2019.02
6. Kim BK, Hong SJ, Cho YH, et al. Effect of ticagrelor monotherapy vs ticagrelor with aspirin on major bleeding and cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome: the TICO randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2020;323(23):2407-2416. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.7580
7. Tarantini G, Honton B, Paradies V, et al. Early discontinuation of aspirin after PCI in low-risk acute myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(21):2083-2094. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2508808
8. Koo BK, Kang J, Park KW, et al. Aspirin versus clopidogrel for chronic maintenance monotherapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (HOST-EXAM): an investigator-initiated, prospective, randomised, open-label, multicentre trial. Lancet. 2021;397(10293):2487-2496. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01063-1
9. Choi KH, Park YH, Lee JY, et al. Efficacy and safety of clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy in patients at high risk of subsequent cardiovascular event after percutaneous coronary intervention (SMART-CHOICE 3): a randomised, open-label, multicentre trial. Lancet. 2025;405(10486):1252-1263. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)00449-0
10. Eikelboom R, Muller Moran HR, Lodewyks C, Yan W, Zelentsov I, Arora RC. The COMPASS trial: practical considerations for application after coronary artery bypass surgery. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2020;35(5):583-588. https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000766
11. Debus ES, Nehler MR; Executive Committee of the Voyager PAD trial. The Voyager PAD trial—new path for post-revascularisation PAD patients. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2020;59(5):699-700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2020.03.041
12. Bai A, Abbas W, Baig F, et al. Bentracimab for surgical and perioperative bleeding: clinical efficacy, emerging safety concerns, and implementation challenges (cost, accessibility, and evidence gaps). Cureus. 2026;18(5):e108189. Published May 3, 2026. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.108189