Antiplatelet drug

An antiplatelet drug is a member of a class of pharmaceuticals that decreases platelet aggregation and inhibits thrombus formation. They are effective in the arterial circulation, where anticoagulants have little effect.

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They are widely used in primary and secondary prevention of thrombotic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease.

Choice of antiplatelet drug

A recent review [1] states: "....low-dose aspirin increases the risk of major bleeding 2-fold compared with placebo. However, the annual incidence of major bleeding due to low-dose aspirin is modest—only 1.3 patients per thousand higher than what is observed with placebo treatment. Treatment of approximately 800 patients with low-dose aspirin annually for cardiovascular prophylaxis will result in only 1 additional major bleeding episode."

Antiplatelet drugs

The most important antiplatelet drugs are:

• Cyclooxygenase inhibitors
  • Aspirin
• Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitors
  • Clopidogrel (Plavix)
  • Ticlopidine (Ticlid)
• Phosphodiesterase inhibitors
  • Cilostazol (Pletal)
• Glycoprotein IIB/IIIA inhibitors (intravenous use only)
  • Abciximab (ReoPro)
  • Eptifibatide (Integrilin)
  • Tirofiban (Aggrastat)
  • Defibrotide
• Adenosine reuptake inhibitors
  • Dipyridamole (Persantine)

See also

• Anticoagulant drug
• Thrombolytic drug
• Antiaggregants