High on Treatment Platelet Reactivity

The addition of clopidogrel to aspirin for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) had significantly reduced cardiovascular events. However, despite dual antiplatelet therapy ischaemic events still occur, especially stent thrombosis, which is associated with a high mortality rate. Inter-individual response to clopidogrel is highly variable. It was shown that 4–46% could be considered as high on treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR). Recent studies had demonstrated a relationship between HTPR and ischaemic events in the setting of PCI. Actually the assessment of platelet reactivity in routine practice and its interpretation to make a decision is a debatable issue.

Abbreviations: PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention, HTPR, high on treatment platelet reactivity, LTA, light transmission aggregometry, VASP, VAsoactive stumulated phosphoprotein, PR, platelet reactivity, PRI, platelet reactivity inhibition, ACS, acute coronary syndrome, AMI, acute myocardial infarction, LD, loading dose, T2DM, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, PPI, proton pump inhibitors

Keywords: Platelet testing, Platelet function, Platelet reactivity