FRIDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetics may derive less benefit from clopidogrel before percutaneous coronary intervention than their non-diabetic counterparts, according to the results of a study published in the February issue of Diabetes Care.
Tobias Geisler, M.D., of the University Hospital Tübingen in Tübingen, Germany, and colleagues assessed platelet aggregation among 485 patients who received a loading dose of 600 mg of clopidogrel before coronary stent implantation; followed by 75 mg a day. All patients received daily aspirin therapy and heparin before stenting.
Patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome had a lower response to the loading dose than their non-diabetic counterparts. Type 2 diabetics also have a decreased platelet response, the report indicates.
"Although diabetic patients benefit from the antithrombotic effects of clopidogrel, both previous and present data suggest that an intensified antiplatelet therapy in type 2 diabetic patients with acute coronary events might improve cardiovascular outcome," the study authors conclude. Further study is needed to elucidate the benefit of such therapy.
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