FDA approves blood-thinning drug Brilinta to treat acute coronary syndromes (USA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the blood-thinning drug Brilinta (ticagrelor) to reduce cardiovascular death and heart attack in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). ACS includes a group of symptoms for any condition, such as unstable angina or heart attack, that could result from reduced blood flow to the heart. Brilinta works by preventing the formation of new blood clots, thus maintaining blood flow in the body to help reduce the risk of another cardiovascular event. Brilinta has been studied in combination with aspirin. A boxed warning to health care professionals and patients warns that aspirin doses above 100 milligrams per day decrease the effectiveness of the medication