Control of the second antiplatelet agent
Clopidogrel, ticagrelor and prasugrel act on a different mechanism of platelet activation than aspirin - through ADP receptors. Therefore, to monitor their effectiveness, a test with ADP is needed. This is especially important after coronary artery stenting, when patients receive dual antiplatelet therapy: insufficient suppression of aggregation threatens stent thrombosis, a life-threatening complication, and excessive suppression leads to bleeding. A separate problem is associated with clopidogrel: it is a prodrug and requires activation by a liver enzyme, the activity of which varies genetically, which is why the drug works poorly in some patients. Laboratory monitoring makes it possible to detect this in time and transfer the patient to another drug.
How to prepare to donate blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important.
The analysis must be interpreted by a doctor: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading and leads to unnecessary examinations.