European perspective on the use of antiplatelet agents in atherothrombotic disease

Abstract

Platelets are components of normal haemostasis, but under certain circumstances, they contribute to coronary occlusion and myocardial ischaemia. Several drugs have been investigated for decades to modulate platelet adhesion and aggregation in coronary artery disease. Although these drugs improve the symptoms and prognosis of millions of patients by reducing arterial thrombosis, they pose a variable risk of haemorrhagic complications. The European Society of Cardiology has published several recommendations on antiplatelet therapy that will be reviewed in this article, together with data from the real-world daily use of these drugs. © The Author 2008.