Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
10:28
Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Antiplatelet drug use in a diabetic clinic
A Woodward1, D Bayley, L Overend
1Diabetes and Endocrinology, 3rd Floor, Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL, UK. annwoodward4@btinternet.com
QJM : Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians
|July 20, 2007
Summary
Many diabetic patients are not receiving antiplatelet therapy, even when indicated. This study found that over a quarter of patients meeting treatment standards were undertreated, highlighting a gap in cardiovascular disease prevention for diabetes patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antiplatelet therapy is indicated in diabetes with large-vessel disease, but evidence is less clear otherwise.
- Evidence suggests antiplatelet therapy is under-prescribed in diabetic patients.
- Diabetic patients face increased cardiovascular risk, necessitating appropriate preventative measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utilization of antiplatelet drugs in patients within a diabetic clinic at a major teaching hospital.
- To assess the appropriateness of antiplatelet therapy prescription in a diabetic population.
- To identify potential undertreatment of antiplatelet therapy in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-note survey of 300 consecutive diabetic patients.
- Assessment of antiplatelet therapy use against established standards of care.
- Inclusion criteria: patients with large-vessel disease, hypertension, nephropathy, or microalbuminuria.
Main Results:
- The study included 300 diabetic patients (mean age 61 years, 92% type 2 diabetes).
- 52% of patients were on antiplatelet therapy, meeting survey standards.
- 28% met treatment standards but were not receiving therapy, with 16% having no contraindications.
Conclusions:
- A significant number of diabetic patients are not receiving antiplatelet drugs despite clear indications.
- There is a notable gap in the prescription of potentially life-saving antiplatelet therapy for at-risk diabetic individuals.
- Further research and clinical practice improvements are needed to ensure optimal antiplatelet prescribing in diabetes care.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Antiplatelet drugs emerge as frontline defenders against the insidious threat of thromboembolic diseases, where abnormal clots obstruct vital blood vessels. These drugs stand as bulwarks, inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and thrombotic strokes.
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
01:27Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by narrowed arteries that diminish blood flow to the extremities. Effective management of PAD requires an interprofessional approach involving various healthcare professionals. The critical aspects of interprofessional care for PAD patients focus on risk factor modification, drug therapy, exercise therapy, nutrition therapy, critical limb ischemia care, and interventional radiology and surgical procedures.The primary treatment goal for PAD...
01:23Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) is a serine protease widely distributed in the body. It's involved in the inactivation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which are crucial for insulin regulation. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), alogliptin (Nesina), and vildagliptin (Galvus), help increase the proportion of active GLP-1, enhancing insulin secretion. These inhibitors work by competitively binding to DPP-4. This binding causes a significant...
01:19Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
01:30Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
01:27Diabetic Retinopathy
DefinitionDiabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes affecting the retinal blood vessels.Risk FactorsDiabetic retinopathy is present in almost all individuals with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of those with type 2 diabetes after two decades of disease.The risk increases with poor glycemic control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, pregnancy, and puberty.Although cataracts and glaucoma are also more frequent in people with diabetes, retinopathy remains the leading...