We have read with great interest the report by Franchi et al. (1) on escalating loading-dose regimens of ticagrelor in primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI), and the investigators should be praised for their significant contribution to this important field. In the initial years of PPCI, IIb/IIIa inhibitors, especially abciximab in combination with unfractionated heparin, aspirin, and clopido...

For patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the first priority is to alert emergency services. In addition to an ECG (ideally taken during the first medical contact at the patient's home), the key of life saving is the immediate antithrombotic therapy with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and (unless contraindicated) an injection of unfractionated heparin or bivalirudin as an alternative anticoa...

THE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF ORAL P2Y12 ANTAGOnists in reducing recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or with either a conservative or early invasive strategy is well established. However, the effect of clopidogrel on P2Y12-mediated platelet reactivity varies widely among individuals. Platelet function t...

BACKGROUND We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor in clinical practice using the National Cardiovascular Database ACTION Registry®. Treatment guidelines for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for 12 months. Few clinical trials have compared the safety an...

The role of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents in tumour growth and prognosis is not new, and currently under intense investigation. Some randomised data strongly suggest that this association exists, but it is complex, and not necessarily pointed at the same direction. The potential mechanisms responsible for such harmful association include a direct hazard of novel antithrombotics on canc...