# Cangrelor improved heart recovery in cardiogenic shock in randomized trial

- Published: 2026-11-07 22:21 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: cangrelor clinical trial, cardiogenic shock therapy, DAPT-SHOCK-AMI trial, intravenous antiplatelet, ejection fraction recovery, Mount Sinai cardiology
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-bb1fd87397f815a291502e66_cangrelor_improved_heart/

**A randomized trial of 605 patients showed intravenous cangrelor outperformed oral ticagrelor in cardiac function recovery after heart attack.**

![Cangrelor improved heart recovery in cardiogenic shock in randomized trial](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/15006e5cbb1db7fe.jpg)
*Navy Medicine, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain*

Intravenous antiplatelet therapy using cangrelor resulted in better cardiac functional recovery compared to oral crushed ticagrelor in heart attack patients with cardiogenic shock, according to data from the DAPT-SHOCK-AMI randomized clinical trial reported by newswise.com. The study results were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2026 and published in *The Lancet* and *Circulation* [1]. The trial enrolled 605 patients undergoing cardiac stenting, with 298 randomized to receive intravenous cangrelor and 307 assigned to crushed oral ticagrelor prior to the procedure.

## Platelet inhibition and vascular protection

The primary laboratory endpoint evaluated a platelet reactivity index below 50 percent, which indicates effective blood thinning. In the evaluated subset of 56 patients in the cangrelor cohort and 68 patients in the ticagrelor cohort, 100 percent of the cangrelor group reached this benchmark compared to 22 percent in the ticagrelor group [1]. In an imaging substudy, cangrelor was associated with a 73 percent reduction in the risk of microvascular obstruction compared with crushed ticagrelor [1]. This complication occurs when microthrombi or plaque fragments block downstream vessels within the myocardium, causing further tissue damage.

## Long-term functional recovery

Follow-up at one year showed marked differences in left ventricular ejection fraction recovery between treatment arms. Echocardiographic evaluations indicated an improvement of 37.9 percent in the cangrelor arm compared to 21.7 percent in the ticagrelor arm [1]. Parallel magnetic resonance imaging measurements demonstrated a 15.8 percent increase in ejection fraction for patients receiving cangrelor versus 2.1 percent for those receiving ticagrelor [1]. Investigators noted that long-term patient follow-up within the trial is ongoing to evaluate sustained clinical prognosis.

## Sources

1. [newswise.com](https://www.newswise.com/articles/intravenous-antiplatelet-therapy-may-improve-heart-function-in-cardiogenic-shock-patients-compared-to-oral-medication)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-bb1fd87397f815a291502e66_cangrelor_improved_heart/