title: Antiplatelet and anticoagulant strategies in acute coronary syndrome: where we are in 2013.
abstract: Multiple antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies are available for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes. The combination of agents should be tailored to the individual patient carefully considering the balance between ischemic and bleeding risk, as well as the planned revascularization strategy. Despite multiple large-scale, rigorously designed and conducted randomized controlled trials, it can be difficult to select the correct pharmacotherapy for each patient and many unanswered questions remain, such as the safety and optimal doses of differing combinations of antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy, as well as the timing and duration of therapies. In addition, the headline results of many trials report improved efficacy outcomes at the cost of increased bleeding risk; however, very few show a clear mortality benefit. It is therefore difficult to weigh up the risk-benefit profile of emerging therapies.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, King's College London, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lumley
authors.forename: Divaka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perera
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors