title: Antiplatelet therapy in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: Acute coronary syndromes are a frequent cause of hospital admission for patients with coronary artery disease. The pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes often involves plaque rupture or fissure with platelet aggregation. Recognition of the importance of platelet aggregation resulted in several large randomized trials testing 3 types of platelet antagonists, aspirin, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and adenosine diphosphate inhibitors. A thorough understanding of the data, risks, and benefits of these therapies is important to optimize treatment of the patient with an acute coronary syndrome. Recognition that there is a great deal of interpatient variability in response to these antiplatelet therapies highlights the need for future research in this area.
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md 21287, USA. sschulm@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Schulman
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004562:Electrocardiography; D000077542:Eptifibatide; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015607:Stents; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D010455:Peptides; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D006493:Heparin; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D000077542:Eptifibatide; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin