Clinical update on the therapeutic use of clopidogrel: treatment of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)

The pathogenesis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) involves plaque disruption, platelet aggregation and intracoronary artery thrombus formation. Aspirin is the cornerstone of antiplatelet therapy in patients with STEMI, reducing the risk of recurrent myocardial infarction or death during the acute phase and long term by about one-quarter. Recent large randomized trials have demonstrated that the addition of clopidogrel to aspirin reduces the risk of major ischemic events by up to a further one-third in patients with STEMI treated with fibrinolytic therapy and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, with no significant increase in bleeding. Thus, dual antiplatelet therapy with the combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is becoming the new standard of care for the management of patients with STEMI.