title: Platelet activation in essential hypertension: implications for antiplatelet treatment.
abstract: Essential hypertension is associated with increased risk of arterial thrombotic disease. Among other factors, enhanced platelet activity contributes significantly to this phenomenon. An increased level of circulating monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPAs) represents one of the most robust markers of platelet activation; furthermore, these aggregates are also believed to contribute to the pathophysiology of atherothrombotic disease. Putative mechanisms that contribute to platelet activation in essential hypertension include endothelial dysfunction, neurohumoral (sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems) overactivity, decreased platelet nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis, and platelet degranulation secondary to increased shear. Current recommendations are that hypertensive patients receive aspirin therapy only if their calculated cardiovascular risk is high and their blood pressure (BP) is adequately controlled. By contrast, the use of antiplatelet treatment in low-risk hypertensive patients is not established and merits further investigation. Moreover, the place of alternative antiplatelet agents other than aspirin, such as clopidogrel, is unclear at present. Some experimental evidence suggests that clopidogrel may confer an additive protective effect over and above aspirin in hypertensive patients, by virtue of effects on the evolution of the atherosclerotic process. This now needs to be investigated in long-term clinical outcome studies.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Prop. Department of Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokrateion Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gkaliagkousi
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passacquale
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Douma
authors.forename: Chrysanthos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zamboulis
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferro
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001791:Blood Platelet Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine