A 55-year-old man undergoes successful primary PCI with a drug-eluting stent for an anterior STEMI. He has no bleeding risk. According to current guidelines, what is the minimum recommended duration of dual antiplatelet therapy?
- A 1 month
- B 6 months
- C 12 months ✓
- D 24 months
Correct answer: C. 12 months
Explanation
For patients with ACS (STEMI or NSTEMI) treated with PCI and stenting, current ACC/AHA guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor) for at least 12 months regardless of stent type, unless there is high bleeding risk. The DAPT trial showed benefit of extended therapy beyond 12 months in selected patients, but 12 months is the minimum standard for ACS.
Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.
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