Korean Circ J.  2004 Jan;34(1):23-27. 10.4070/kcj.2004.34.1.23.

Antiplatelet Agents in High-Risk Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

• Chae SC

• KMID: 1938849
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2004.34.1.23

Abstract

The role of platelets is well known in the atherogenesis, acute coronary syndrome and development of complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. Until recently, aspirin was the only antiplatelet agent available for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Over the past several years, there has been a substantial expansion in our antiplatelet armamentarium, as well as in our understanding of the clinical importance of antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary artery disease. The benefits and limitations of the currently available antiplatelet agents, including aspirin, thienopyridines (ticlopidine and clopidogrel) and the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockers, in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, and high-risk clinical situations, such as unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction and percutaneous coronary intervention, have been reported. Antiplatelet agents should be used, in proper combination, in all relevant cases, as they have been shown to improve the prognosis of various forms of high-risk patients with coronary artery disease.

Keyword

Platelet aggregation inhibitors; Coronary disease; Angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary; Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockers

MeSH Terms

Acute Coronary Syndrome
Angina, Unstable
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary
Aspirin
Atherosclerosis
Blood Platelets
Coronary Artery Disease*
Coronary Disease
Coronary Vessels*
Glycoproteins
Humans
Myocardial Infarction
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors*
Prognosis
Secondary Prevention
Thienopyridines
Aspirin
Glycoproteins
Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
Thienopyridines