Abstract
The increasing use of antiplatelet therapy, particularly aspirin and oral P2Y12 inhibitors, in the prevention and management of arterial thrombosis, has stimulated
extensive pharmacodynamic studies and research into tailored antiplatelet regimens.
Many different methodologies have been studied for monitoring antiplatelet drugs and
some are now well validated and used in clinical practice. However, clinical studies
of tailored antiplatelet therapy have not convincingly demonstrated a benefit of this
approach in patients treated with aspirin and clopidogrel, coupled with the fact that
more potent antiplatelet therapies have more consistent effects compared with clopidogrel
and so may reduce the rationale for monitoring. On the other hand, the optimum timing
of urgent surgery after cession of oral antiplatelet therapy may be informed by platelet
function testing. This review discusses the different methodologies that have been
used to monitor the effects of antiplatelet therapy and highlights the current position
of platelet function testing in clinical practice.
Keywords
antiplatelet therapy - aspirin - clopidogrel - platelet function testing
