Editing Antiplatelet drug (section)

==Usage==

<!-- This study is so narrow in focus that it can hardly be used to demonstrate across-the-board evidence.  Although I cannot understand Romanian (the language in which the paper is written), a single study with a small population of 25 patients using different types of antiplatelet drugs were subjected to implant surgery in which primary collagen plugs and Vicryl sutures were used, presumably to obtain primary closure when possible, demonstrated no bleeding complications.  However, various types of procedures were done (18 extractions, 6 sinus augmentations, etc.) to preclude a true comparison among surgeries and the ability to generalize to other cases.

=== In dental implantation procedures ===
Dental implant procedures can be safely performed in patients on long-term antiplatelet medication, with no interruption or alteration of their medication. Such patients do not have an increased risk of prolonged or excessive postoperative bleeding.<ref name="RevistaOMF">
{{cite journal 
 |author= Mihai Bogdan Bucur 
 |author-link= Mihai Bogdan Bucur 
 |title= Antiplatelet treatment implications in oral implantology
 |language= ro
 |journal= [[Revista de chirurgie oro-maxilo-facială și implantologie|Rev. chir. oro-maxilo-fac. implantol.]]
 |issn= 2069-3850
 |volume= 2
 |issue= 3
 |pages= 6–9
 |date=Nov 2011
 |url= http://www.revistaomf.ro/(39)
 |id= 39
 |access-date= 2012-04-15 }}(webpage has a translation button)
</ref> -->=== Prevention and treatment of arterial thrombosis ===
Prevention and treatment of arterial thrombosis is essential in patients with certain medical conditions whereby the risk of thrombosis or thromboembolism may result in disastrous consequences such as heart attack, pulmonary embolism or stroke.<ref name=":0" /> Patients who require the use of antiplatelet drugs are: stroke with or without atrial fibrillation, any heart surgery (especially prosthetic replacement heart valve), Coronary Heart Disease such as stable angina, unstable angina and heart attack, patients with coronary stent, Peripheral Vascular Disease/Peripheral Arterial Disease and apical/ventricular/mural thrombus.<ref name=":0" />

Treatment of established arterial thrombosis includes the use of antiplatelet drugs and [[thrombolytic therapy]]. Antiplatelet drugs alter the platelet activation at the site of vascular damage crucial to the development of arterial thrombosis.

*'''Aspirin''' and '''Triflusal''' irreversibly inhibits the enzyme COX, resulting in reduced platelet production of TXA<sub>2</sub> (thromboxane – powerful vasoconstrictor that lowers cyclic AMP and initiates the platelet release reaction).
*'''Clopidogrel''' affects the ADP-dependent activation of IIb/IIIa complex
*'''Dipyridamole''' inhibits platelet phosphodiesterase, causing an increase in cyclic AMP with potentiation of the action of PGI<sub>2</sub> – opposes actions of TXA<sub>2</sub>
*'''Epoprostenol''' is a prostacyclin that is used to inhibit platelet aggregation during renal dialysis (with or without heparin) and is also used in primary pulmonary hypertension.
*'''Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists''' block a receptor on the platelet for fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor. 3 classes:
**Murine-human chimeric antibodies (e.g., abciximab)
**Synthetic non-peptides (e.g., tirofiban)
**Synthetic peptides (e.g., eptifibatide)