ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the western world, accounting for 31% of all deaths worldwide. Use of therapeutic coronary intervention is the gold standard in treating culprit lesions in acute coronary syndrome, as per American and European guidelines. This chapter details how, despite improvements in coronary stent technology, antiplatelet therapy continues to have an important role in reducing post-interventional thrombosis. The authors describe the progression and development of antiplatelet agents from the beginnings of aspirin therapy over 40 years ago to the rise of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and new-generation P2Y12 inhibitors, with conscientious reference to major clinical trials. This historical perspective includes valuable information on dosages, complications, successes and failures, presented as an informative narrative for drug use in coronary intervention.
