Intracoronary platelet activation in ischemic heart disease: effects of ticlopidine.
Plasma levels of platelet factor 4 have been measured in the aortic and coronary sinus blood of 35 patients: group I (n = 12) with normal coronary arteriograms; group II (n = 15) with angiographically proven coronary artery disease; and group III (n = 8) composed of patients with ischemic heart disease who were being treated with the antiaggregant agent ticlopidine at the time of cardiac catheterization. The mean increase in platelet factor 4 levels through the coronary circulation was 27.4 +/- 21.9 ng/ml (mean +/- standard deviation) in group II, compared with -1 +/- 4.5 ng/ml in group I (p less than 0.01). In group III plasma levels of platelet factor 4 in aortic and coronary sinus samples were all within the normal range. Thus, we conclude that platelet activation constantly occurs in the coronary circulation of patients with stable coronary artery disease, and can be prevented with ticlopidine.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001011:Aorta; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000032:analysis*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013988:Ticlopidine
D000925:Anticoagulants; D013876:Thiophenes; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D013988:Ticlopidine