Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters do not Improve Clopidogrel Associated P2Y12 Inhibition in Stroke Patients

The specific action of omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters (OFA) in preventing cerebrovascular disease remains unknown, but research has demonstrated multiple possible mechanisms. In addition to altering lipid profiles, OFA may inhibit platelet aggregation. Clopidogrel inhibits platelets via the P2Y12 receptor. OFA may alter clopidogrel-associated platelet-inhibition via a possible combined effect on P2Y12 inhibition. To determine if OFA affects clopidogrel associated P2Y12 platelet receptor inhibition by comparing the percentage of responders in patients with cerebrovascular disease who were taking clopidogrel with or without OFA. We retrospectively reviewed data from adult patients with cerebrovascular disease or cerebral aneurysms and taking clopidogrel, who were seen at a single hospital between March 2010 to September 2011. We included 438 subjects in the study. For the 67 subjects who received loading doses of both clopidogrel and OFA, 71.6% had a P2Y12 inhibition response more than 20%, which is considered a positive response. For the 55 subjects who received just clopidogrel load, 67.2% of subjects were responders. There were 70.4% responders in the 274 subjects who were taking 75 mg of clopidogrel alone at home, and 73.8% responders in the 42 subjects who were taking both clopidogrel and OFA at home. However, these percentage differences were not statistically significant. This study did not find additional P2Y12 platelet inhibition when patients were given OFA, either given as a loading dose or taking it daily.