Start of Antiplatelet Therapy Increases the Prevalence of Intraplaque Hemorrhage in Patients With Advanced Carotid Artery Lesions: A Longitudinal MR Imaging Study

Introduction: Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is an important feature of plaque vulnerability. Patients with a history of transient ischemic attack or stroke are treated with platelet aggregation inhibitors to prevent secondary myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke. Although antiplatelet medication is effective in reduction of clot formation, it also has adverse effects. It has therefore been hypothesized that platelet aggregation inhibitors could also initiate the onset or progression of IPH. A histopathological study on 154 carotid endarterectomy plaques found that preoperative antiplatelet therapy was associated with an increase in the prevalence of repeated IPH in symptomatic carotid plaques.

Source: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery - November 30, 2019 Category: Surgery Authors: Genevi ève Crombag, Madieke Liem, Eline Koornstra, Floris Schreuder, Dianne Nolen-van Dam, Carlo Lucci, Rob van der Geest, Mat Daemen, Anton van der Steen, Jeroen Hendrikse, Werner Mess, Aad van der Lugt, Joachim Wildberger, Robert van Oostenbrugge, Paul Source Type: research