Review article: Antithrombotic therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease

Abstract

Currently approved antiplatelet treatment strategies have proved successful for reducing cardiovascular adverse events in patients with CAD. However, despite the use of recommended antiplatelet treatment strategies, the presence of DM has been consistently associated with a negative impact on outcomes and a high rate of adverse cardiovascular events continue to occur in patients with DM. The elevated prevalence of low response to standard oral antiplatelet agents contribute to these impaired outcomes. Thus, the search for more potent antiplatelet treatment strategies is warranted in high-risk patients, such as those with DM. The present manuscript provides an overview on the current status of knowledge on currently available antiplatelet agents, focusing on the benefits and limitations of these therapies in DM patients, and evaluating the potential role of new antithrombotic agents and treatment strategies currently under development to overcome these limitations.