The patient taking antiplatelet drugs: a review with dental management considerations

Antiplatelet drugs are used in clinical practice to prevent the adverse sequelae of thromboses in atherosclerotic arteries of the heart, brain, and limbs and in the veins and heart chambers. They have diverse mechanisms of action, half-lives, and pharmacodynamic effects. A major concern among dental health care providers is the potential for excessive bleeding after invasive dental procedures. This article reviews the current antiplatelet agents used for managing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and suggests how patients taking these agents may be managed when invasive dental procedures are planned.