Study Of Outcomes of Antiplatelet Drugs Used in The Management of Cardiovascular Diseases:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, necessitating effective therapeutic interventions to mitigate their burden. Among these, antiplatelet therapy has emerged as a cornerstone in the prevention and management of atherosclerotic events, particularly in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), myocardial infarction (MI), and those undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). This review synthesizes the current evidence on the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of antiplatelet therapy in CVD management, with a focus on mono- and dual-antiplatelet regimens. Antiplatelet agents, including aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitors (such as clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor), and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, play a critical role in reducing thrombotic complications in CVD. Aspirin, a cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitor, has been a mainstay of therapy due to its efficacy in reducing arterial thrombosis. In combination with P2Y12 inhibitors, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has demonstrated superior outcomes in reducing recurrent ischemic events compared to monotherapy. Numerous large-scale clinical trials have substantiated the benefits of antiplatelet therapy in diverse CVD settings. For instance, the CAPRIE trial highlighted clopidogrel’s efficacy over aspirin in reducing composite cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. Similarly, ticagrelor was found to be superior to clopidogrel in individuals with ACS by the PLATO trial. In post-PCI settings, prolonged DAPT has shown to significantly reduce stent thrombosis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), albeit at an increased risk of bleeding. Future directions include developing novel agents targeting new pathways, personalized therapies based on genetic testing, and optimizing combination regimens to improve safety and efficacy.