Antiplatelet use in interventional cardiology.

Thrombosis within the target vessel is one of the most feared complications associated with coronary intervention, as it is often associated with severe adverse clinical sequelae. This thrombosis is mediated via the activation and aggregation of platelets and therefore considerable effort has been directed at ways of inhibiting platelet function. It is now mandatory to consider the use of two and often three different antiplatelet agents, particularly when intracoronary stents are inserted. Using these regimes, many of the adverse clinical outcomes associated with platelet activation can be reduced.