[Clinical pharmacology of current antiplatelet drugs]

Dual antiplatelet therapy with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and an inhibitor of the P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor is the standard treatment for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or undergoing elective coronary interventions according to the current guidelines published by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). New generation P2Y12 inhibitors, such as prasugrel and ticagrelor exert stronger and more consistent inhibition of the P2Y12 receptor. In clinical studies enrolling patients with ACS these drugs decreased the incidence of ischemic events compared to the standard therapy with clopidogrel and ASA; however, this beneficial effect was associated with an increase in bleeding events. Alternative therapeutic approaches via addition of drugs with different modes of action showed an overall reduction of ischemic events but also failed to uncouple this beneficial effect from an increased bleeding risk.