title: Antiplatelet drug use in a diabetic clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are definite indications for antiplatelet therapy in diabetes in the presence of large-vessel disease, but in the absence of large-vessel disease, the evidence is less clear. There is also evidence that antiplatelet therapy is under-prescribed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the use of antiplatelet drugs in patients attending a diabetic clinic in a large teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-note survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the case-notes of 300 consecutive diabetic patients, to determine whether antiplatelet therapy was being used in appropriate patients, including those with established large-vessel disease, hypertension and nephropathy or microalbuminuria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients were of mean +/- SD age 61 +/- 13 years, diabetes duration 10 +/- 8 years, BMI 31.4 +/- 6.7 kg/m(2) and HbA(1c) 8.3 +/- 1.5%; 276 (92%) had type 2 diabetes, and 162 (54%) were male. Antiplatelet drugs were being taken by 157 (52%) who fulfilled the survey standard for treatment; a further 83 (28%) met the survey standard but were not receiving treatment, of whom 48 (16% of the total group) had no valid contraindication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant minority of diabetic patients are being denied antiplatelet drugs despite good indications.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Endocrinology, 3rd Floor, Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL, UK. annwoodward4@btinternet.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bayley
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Overend
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors