Journal article
Colchicine for cardiovascular secondary prevention: evidence from recent trials and meta-analyses
Current opinion in cardiology, v 41(6), pp 584-592
02 Sep 2026
PMID: 42681982
Abstract
Residual inflammatory risk remains an important driver of recurrent vascular events despite contemporary lipid-lowering and antithrombotic therapies. Low-dose colchicine is the first widely available anti-inflammatory therapy to be incorporated into contemporary guidelines for secondary prevention in coronary artery disease. This review summarizes contemporary evidence on the efficacy and safety of low-dose colchicine for secondary prevention.
Large randomized trials have demonstrated that colchicine reduces recurrent ischemic events in patients with chronic coronary disease and after myocardial infarction. Recent trials in acute myocardial infarction and stroke populations, however, have produced heterogeneous results. Nevertheless, contemporary meta-analyses consistently demonstrate reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), driven mainly by fewer myocardial infarctions, strokes, and coronary revascularizations. Safety data are reassuring, with no consistent excess in serious infection, cancer, pneumonia, or noncardiovascular death, although gastrointestinal intolerance remains the most common adverse effect.
Low-dose colchicine has established residual inflammation as an actionable target in secondary prevention of vascular events in patients with chronic coronary disease or recent myocardial infarction. Ongoing trials will clarify colchicine's role across broader vascular indications. Future work should also focus on implementing the use of colchicine for prevention of clinical events in patients with coronary artery disease in clinical practice.
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Details
- Title
- Colchicine for cardiovascular secondary prevention: evidence from recent trials and meta-analyses
- Creators
- Valtteri Muroke - Montreal Heart InstituteMichelle Samuel - Drexel UniversityRolence Pierre - Montreal Heart InstituteJean-Claude Tardif (Corresponding Author) - Université de Montréal
- Publication Details
- Current opinion in cardiology, v 41(6), pp 584-592
- Publisher
- Ovid
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Sigrid Juselius Foundation Canadian Institutes of Health Research
V.M. is supported by a personal research grant from the Sigrid Juselius Foundation. J.-C.T. has received a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the conduct of the COLCOT-T2D trial. No specific funding was received for the preparation of this article.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- General Internal Medicine
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001893161200005
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105051412197
- Other Identifier
- 991022205524004721