Novel antiplatelet therapies following percutaneous coronary interventions

Drug-eluting stents effectively reduce the incidence of in-stent restenosis; however, the use of these stents has led to the requirement for more effective antiplatelet therapies than are currently available. This requirement primarily arises from the presence of the antiproliferative drug coating of the stents. These coatings cause the prolonged exposure of platelets to stent struts and denuded endothelium, resulting in an increased potential for prothrombotic clinical sequelae. New antiplatelet therapies are also required because of the inter-individual variability in responses to available antiplatelet drugs. Ideally, new drugs would selectively target distinct mechanisms of platelet activation, avoiding increases in bleeding risk. This review discusses novel antiplatelet therapies under clinical investigation.