What should I know about antiplatelet agents?

Antiplatelet medicines keep blood clots from forming by preventing blood platelets from sticking together. They’re used as part of a treatment for patients with atherosclerosis or with increased clotting tendencies. Atherosclerosis is the process by which deposits of cholesterol form along inner walls of blood vessels, creating the conditions for blood clots to form. It is sometimes referred to as hardening of the arteries.

• Antiplatelets are generally prescribed preventively, when atherosclerosis is evident but there is not yet a large obstruction in the artery.

• Antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, ticlopidine, clopidogrel and the combination of aspirin and dipyridamole.

• Aspirin is an important therapeutic agent for stroke prevention. It’s a medicine that can save your life if you have a stroke or TIA of if you have heart problems. You must use aspirin just as your doctor tells you, and not in your own way.