title: Platelets: is aspirin sufficient or must we know how to pronounce abciximab?
abstract: Although vascular disease may present with symptoms that are representative of a focal exacerbation of atherosclerosis, it is inherently a systemic disease. Consequently, vascular surgeons must be capable of recommending to their patients pharmacologic approaches that will decrease future risk of cardiovascular-related morbidity and death. Antiplatelet treatments, in particular, have been shown to reduce future cerebrovascular and coronary events. Moreover, these medications have utility in maintaining peripheral vessel and graft patency after surgical bypass, endarterectomy, or percutaneous translumenal angioplasty. The future of optimal antiplatelet therapy will consist of strategies that block multiple platelet activation pathways simultaneously. Moreover, the use of directed antiplatelet medications promises more effective control of platelet physiology with a concomitant increase in safety. The authors review herein current recommendations for the use of aspirin, thienopyridines, and GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Brinkman
authors.forename: Thomas T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Terramani
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Najibi
authors.forename: Elliot L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Chaikof
mesh_terms: D000077284:Abciximab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077466:Tirofiban; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D011725:Pyridines; C446540:thienopyridine; D014443:Tyrosine; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D000077466:Tirofiban; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin; D000077284:Abciximab