Summary

The REACH (Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health) study was specifically designed to determine the “real world” risk of a major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with either established atherothrombotic disease or those who were at a high risk for this condition. It is the largest and most geographically extensive registry of its kind, with more than 68,000 patients in 44 countries, covering 6 regions and including 5,000 physician investigators. Patients were recruited based on a history of coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or peripheral vascular disease (PVD), or at least three risk factors for atherothrombosis, including diabetes, cigarette smoking, uncontrolled high blood pressure or uncontrolled high cholesterol levels at entry to study.