DOES ADDITION OF CLOPIDOGREL TO ASPIRIN DECREASE PLATELET AGGREGABILITY?

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the antiplatelet effect of aspirin alone with the antiplatelet effect of combination of aspirin and clopidogrel in cardiovascular patients. Methodology: This study was conducted in the Jan 2008 in the out patients department of cardiology, PGMI, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. Patients coming to cardiology OPD and taking aspirin alone or in combination with clopidogrel for different cardiovascular diseases were included. Blood was take from each patient for measuring platelet aggregation using whole blood aggregometer and result of each individual was noted . Results: A total of 128 patients were included. Patients who were taking only aspirin were 68. Their mean age was 52.89 ± 9.43 years. Male were 31(45.6%). Majority 46(67.6%) of these patients were suffering from ischemic heart disease (IHD). The rest were having hypertension 7(10.3%), CCF 8(11.8%), DM 3(4.4%) or PAD 4(5.9%). Patients who were taking both aspirin and clopidogrel were 60. Their mean age was 52.45 ± 8.71 years. Male were 44(73.3%). Patients were suffering from IHD 59(98.3%). Patients taking aspirin were having mean platelet aggregability of 7.10±5.89 ohms and patients taking both aspirin and clopidogrel were having mean platelet aggregability of 4.18±4.6 ohms (p=0.002). Among patients who were taking only aspirin mean aggregability of patients with IHD was7.54±5.44ohms , HTN was 10.14 ±5.87 ohms, CCF was 3.12±6.22 ohms, DM was 9.0±7.8ohms and PAD was 3.25±6.5.ohms. Conclusion: Combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is more effective than aspirin alone in reducing platelet aggregation.