title: Novel antiplatelet strategies in acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: Antiplatelet therapies for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) act to interrupt various pathways of platelet activation. Clopidogrel, an established thienopyridine antiplatelet medication, inhibits adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation to a modest degree and with wide variability in platelet response. Accumulating data suggest that a 600-mg loading dose of clopidogrel may help overcome the suboptimal response to the standard 300-mg dose seen in some patients. Prasugrel is a third-generation investigational thienopyridine that demonstrates more potent inhibition of platelet aggregation and more consistent platelet response compared with standard- and high-dose clopidogrel. A large clinical trial showed prasugrel to be superior to standard-dose clopidogrel in reducing ischemic events in patients with ACS scheduled for percutaneous coronary intervention, although prasugrel was associated with a significantly higher risk of major bleeding events. Other investigational antiplatelet agents also display more potent and consistent inhibition of platelet aggregation than is seen with clopidogrel. These include AZD6140, a reversible ADP receptor blocker; cangrelor, a rapidly acting intravenous ADP receptor blocker; and the thrombin receptor antagonist SCH 530348.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. msabatine@partners.org
authors.forename: Marc S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sabatine