Clopidogrel in coronary artery disease SCOTT A HARDING, KEITH AA FOX

Abstract

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Key words: clopidogrel, ticlopidine, platelets, acute coronary syndromes, percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction

Platelet activation, aggregation and thrombus formation are key events in the pathogenesis of both acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and ischaemic complications following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In addition to their role in thrombus formation, activated platelets are a rich source of cytokines,

Cardiology Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9YW. Scott A Harding, Lecturer in Cardiology Keith AA Fox, Professor of Cardiology Correspondence to: Dr S Harding (email: [email protected])

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chemokines and growth factors and have important proinflammatory activity.1,2 Treatment with aspirin has been shown to be of substantial benefit in a wide range of patients with vascular disease. Aspirin treatment markedly reduces the risk of future adverse vascular events among patients with acute myocardial infarction (27% reduction, p