Antiplatelet therapy: do the new platelet inhibitors add significantly to the clinical benefits of aspirin?

The inhibitors of the platelet membrane glycoprotein IIb/IIIa show considerable promise as antiplatelet agents. These drugs are easily titrated when administered intravenously and are associated with less frequent and serious bleeding than initially feared. They add significant benefit to that attributable to aspirin in preventing the complications associated with coronary angioplasty. Pilot studies have suggested that benefits could also be realized in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina. The most effective means of administering these agents, their relative efficacy, and the consequences of long-term modulation of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor by oral agents are challenging areas for clinical investigation.