A novel, accelerated method of desensitization in a patient with a documented hypersensitivity reaction to...

Current standard of care following a percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement necessitates the use of dual anti-platelet therapy with aspirin and commonly clopidogrel. There is a subset of patients who have a significant clopidogrel allergy and life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions. Desensitization is the process of inducing tolerance to a sensitizing agent via repeated exposure to the agent. There have been previously reported protocols for clopidogrel desensitization. These protocols differ in length and dose escalation and a universally accepted clopidogrel desensitization protocol has yet to be established. We discuss here a novel accelerated approach to clopidogrel desensitization in a patient with a documented hypersensitivity reaction.