Cardiac thromboembolism: evidence for role of platelets and value of platelet suppressant therapy.
Thromboembolism remains a frequent and serious problem in cardiac patients. Methods to identify the thrombosis-prone patient and the identification of safe and effective forms of treatment would be of great value. The accumulating evidence which indicates that abnormalities in platelet tests are often present in cardiac patients and may help identify those at greatest risk of thrombosis is encouraging. It suggests that patients with cardiac disease are desirable groups for investigation. It also indicates that the platelet survival test may be useful as a reference against which new and more practical tests can be compared, as well as a means to identify useful platelet suppressant drugs or to monitor the effects of these drugs.
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy