Antiplatelet medications are used in the treatment and prevention of adverse thrombotic and ischemic events. Two important antiplatelet medications that are commonly used are aspirin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and clopidogrel, an ADP receptor inhibitor. This course will discuss the mechanism of action and the limitations of each drug.
Platelet function assays may be ordered to evaluate patient response to antiplatelet medications. Patient monitoring is important because of bleeding risks posed by the use of these medications and the risk for future cardiac events if testing indicates a lack of response to the medication. A variety of methods for assessing platelet function are available. Some of the more widely used procedures will be covered in this course.
