DAPT Score: Comprehensive Explanation and Clinical Context
The Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) Score is a validated clinical tool developed to help physicians decide whether to extend dual antiplatelet therapy beyond 12 months after coronary stent implantation.
It balances ischemic benefit against bleeding risk based on nine clinical and procedural variables.
A score of >2 suggests that prolonged DAPT may reduce the risk of ischemic events (such as myocardial infarction or stent thrombosis) more than it increases bleeding risk.
Conversely, a score of <2 indicates that extending DAPT is unlikely to provide a net benefit and may increase bleeding complications.
Clinical Application: The DAPT Score should be applied only in patients who have completed 12 months of DAPT without major bleeding or ischemic events.
It is based on data from the DAPT Trial (Mauri et al., NEJM 2014) and subsequent validation studies.
References: 1. Yeh RW, et al. JAMA. 2016;315(16):1735–1749.
2.
Mauri L, et al. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(23):2155–2166.
3.
ESC Guidelines for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes (2023).
4.
ACC/AHA Focused Update on Duration of DAPT in CAD. Circulation. 2016.