[Therapeutic anticoagulation: should antiplatelet therapy be continued?]

The net clinical benefit of antiplatelet agents in the secondary prevention of atherothrombotic cardiovascular events has been widely demonstrated. This recognized efficacy explains the usual reluctance to consider discontinuation such treatment in clinical practice. Discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy should nevertheless be considered in a frequent situation, when an indication for therapeutic anticoagulation arises, as combining two antithrombotic agents significantly increases the risk of bleeding. Current international guidelines recommend discontinuing antiplatelet therapy whenever possible upon initiating therapeutic anticoagulation. Using a clinical case study, this article provides an up-to-date, practical overview of antiplatelet management when introducing therapeutic anticoagulation.