It has been recently revealed that those patients who were stopped from using antiplatelet agents like clopidogrel, before they were to undergo a cardiac surgery tend to have a high maintenance rate of platelets, in comparison to the ones being given placebo.

It was further said by the researchers that when the antiplatelet treatment is stopped before therapy, it has to be done in a strategic way, so as to minimize the side effects that might come along with it. Complications such as excessive bleeding and ischemic effects might be a threat, if care isn’t taken by the GP.

"Thienopyridines (antiplatelet agents) are among the most widely prescribed medications, but their use can be complicated by the unanticipated need for surgery. Despite increased risk of thrombosis, guidelines recommend discontinuing thienopyridines 5 to 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bleeding”, said the team.

It was revealed by Dominick .J. Angiolillo, the M. D. at University of Florida in Jacksonville that there was random trial done on 201 people who were affected by the Acute coronary syndrome, to find out what sort of effect, stopping the drug takes on them.

It was found in the study that patients having platelet reactivity less than 240 RPU, in the whole process of infusion, was seen to be considerably lower than the ones in the group using placebo. This new breakthrough might be efficient in helping the enhanced treatment of patients and more could be done now, keeping in mind the results of these tests. There is need for a further detailed investigation to be done to find out what the other effects this change of plan seems to have on the body.