Antiplatelet Therapy and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

Dual antiplatelet therapy is one of the cornerstones of modern percutaneous coronary interventions. The development of new therapeutic agents has significantly reduced ischemic events at the risk of increased bleeding complications. Therefore, efforts are currently focused on optimizing therapeutic algorithms to obtain the greatest anti-thrombotic benefit associated with the lowest risk of bleeding, that is, the greater net clinical benefit. A significant number of trials evaluating different drug combinations or adjustments in treatment duration have been completed. However, clinical translation of these results is often difficult due to the heterogeneity of the therapeutic approaches. The aim of this manuscript is to provide an updated review of the literature regarding the use of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty and stenting.