An antiplatelet drug (antiaggregant) is a member of a class of pharmaceuticals that decrease platelet aggregation [1] and inhibit thrombus formation. They are effective in the arterial circulation, where anticoagulants have little effect.
They are widely used in primary and secondary prevention of thrombotic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease.
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A recent review [2] states: "....low-dose aspirin increases the risk of major bleeding 2-fold compared with placebo. However, the annual incidence of major bleeding due to low-dose aspirin is modest—only 1.3 patients per thousand higher than what is observed with placebo treatment. Treatment of approximately 800 patients with low-dose aspirin annually for cardiovascular prophylaxis will result in only 1 additional major bleeding episode."
The most important antiplatelet drugs are:
Dental implant procedures can be safely performed in patients on long-term antiplatelet medication, with no interruption or alteration of their medication. Such patients do not have an increased risk of prolonged or excessive postoperative bleeding.[3]
Treatment of established arterial thrombosis includes the use of Antiplatelet drugs and thrombolytic therapy. Antiplatelet drugs alter the platelet activation at the site of vascular damage crucial to the development of arterial thrombosis.
Thrombolytic therapy is used in myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, and, on occasion, in massive pulmonary embolism. The main risk is bleeding. Treatment should not be given to patients having had recent bleeding, uncontrolled hypertension or a hemorrhagic stroke, or surgery or other invasive procedures within the previous 10 days.
Drug toxicity is increased when mulitple antiplatelet drugs are used.Gastro intestinal bleeding is also seen in majority of the cases[4]
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