Platelet Function Testing in Clinical Practice - Experience and Views from Europe and the US
A 68-year-old male is admitted to our hospital because of a 50-minute episode of chest pain occurring during the night. On admission he is symptom-free. His electrocardiogram shows new negative T waves in the leads V1-V3. Troponin T, measured twice, with a six-hour interval, is negative. His previous history mentions diabetes mellitus type II, hypercholesterolaemia and obesity (110 kg/176 cm/body mass index 35). He is treated with aspirin (300 mg loading dose, then 80 mg/day), clopidogrel (600 mg loading dose, then 75 mg/day), fondaparinux (2.5 mg subcutaneously/day) and metoprolol (100 mg/day). He is scheduled to undergo coronary angiography the next day. The question is: should we measure platelet function and/or genetics in this patient?. © TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2011.
