Results of the Ticlid or Plavix Post-Stents (TOPPS) trial: do they justify the switch from ticlopidine to clopidogrel after coronary stent placement?

In the Ticlid or Plavix Post-Stents (TOPPS) trial, 1016 patients undergoing successful coronary stent placement were randomized to receive aspirin and either ticlopidine or clopidogrel. In this trial, the dosages and regimens of ticlopidine and clopidogrel resembled more closely those used in most catheterization laboratories than did the two previous randomized trials comparing ticlopidine and clopidogrel. The results of the TOPPS trial support the current practice of substituting ticlopidine for clopidogrel in stent patients.