Antiplatelet Drugs Use in Pregnancy-Review of the Current Practice and Future Implications.

When clinicians opt for antithrombotic therapy to manage or prevent thrombotic complications during pregnancy, it is imperative to consider the unique physiological state of the pregnant woman's body, which can influence the pharmacokinetics of the drug, its ability to traverse the placental barrier, and its potential teratogenic effects on the fetus. While the efficacy and safety of aspirin during pregnancy have been relatively well-established through numerous clinical studies, understanding the effects of newer, more potent antiplatelet agents has primarily stemmed from individual clinical case reports necessitating immediate administration of potent antiplatelet therapy during pregnancy. This review consolidates the collective experiences of clinicians confronting novel thrombotic complications during pregnancy, often requiring the use of dual antiplatelet therapy.

Successful Caesarean Section on Ticagrelor Treatment One Day after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Caesarean section is a challenging intervention in patients treated with dual antiplatelet therapy. We present a case of a 32-year-old pregnant woman experiencing large acute myocardial infarction (MI) of the anterolateral wall, complicated by cardiogenic shock in the 38th week of pregnancy, and treated with drug-eluting stent implantation and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) consisting of aspirin and ticagrelor. Less than 24 h after the MI delivery started, an urgent Caesarean section was indicated.

Beta Blockers can Mask not only Hypoglycemia but also Hypotension.

Background: Beta-adrenergic (β-AR) receptor blockers (BBs) are an essential class of drugs as they have numerous indications. On the other hand, they have numerous unwanted effects that decrease the compliance, adherence, and persistence of this very useful group of drugs.

Objective: The paper aims to analyze the possibility that an unnoticed side effect may contribute to a less favorable pharmacologic profile of BBs, e.

Impact on long-term mortality of access and non-access site bleeding after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: The influence of the bleeding site on long-term survival after the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is poorly understood. This study sought to investigate the relationship between in-hospital access site versus non-access site bleeding and very late mortality in unselected patients treated with primary PCI.

Methods: Data of the 2715 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary PCI, enrolled in a prospective registry of a high volume tertiary centre, were analysed.

Correction to: Analysis of the CYP2C19 genotype associated with bleeding in Serbian STEMI patients who have undergone primary PCI and treatment with clopidogrel.

The correct Author names are shown in this paper.

Analysis of the CYP2C19 genotype associated with bleeding in Serbian STEMI patients who have undergone primary PCI and treatment with clopidogrel.

Purpose: Bleeding is one of the possible adverse events during clopidogrel therapy. The CYP2C19 gene is the most significant genetic factor which influences response to clopidogrel treatment. We aimed to examine the contribution of the CYP2C19 gene to bleeding occurrence during clopidogrel therapy in Serbian patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Dabigatran - Metabolism, Pharmacologic Properties and Drug Interactions.

The superiority of dabigatran has been well proven in the standard dosing regimen in prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and extended venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment. Dabigatran, an anticoagulant with a good safety profile, reduces intracranial bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation and decreases major and clinically relevant non-major bleeding in acute VTE treatment. However, several important clinical issues are not fully covered by currently available directions with regard to dabigatran administration.

Practical Aspects of Monitoring of Antiplatelet Therapy.

Despite the application of new antiplatelet drugs (prasugrel and ticagrelor), dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin remains the standard for patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, especially in countries of low socioeconomic status. Regardless of the proven benefits, numerous studies have shown that certain groups of patients who receive standard doses of clopidogrel and aspirin do not respond adequately, and many of them also exhibit adverse cardiovascular events. Studies have shown that the risk of stent thrombosis and ischemic complications is higher in patients with: acute coronary syndrome, diabetes mellitus, thrombocytosis, reduced systolic function of the left ventricle with ejection fraction less than 30%, presence of multiple stents, longer and thinner stents, and renal failure.

Economic analysis of pharmacogenomic-guided clopidogrel treatment in Serbian patients with myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction: Clopidogrel, which is activated by the CYP2C19 enzyme, is among the drugs for which all major regulatory agencies recommend genetic testing to be performed to identify a patient's CYP2C19 genotype in order to determine the optimal antiplatelet therapeutic scheme. The CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 variants are loss-of-function alleles, leading to abolished CYP2C19 function and thus have the risk of thrombotic events for carriers of these alleles on standard dosages, while the CYP2C19*17 allele results in CYP2C19 hyperactivity.

Aims: Here, we report our findings from a retrospective study to assess whether genotyping for the CYP2C19*2 allele was cost effective for myocardial infarction patients receiving clopidogrel treatment in the Serbian population compared with the nongenotype-guided treatment.

Acute renal failure and hepatocellular damage as presenting symptoms of type II aortic dissection.

Introduction: Pericardial effusion can be a consequence of a number of pathological conditions, and as such it can cause impaired left ventricular filling followed by decreased cardiac output and blood pressure. This kind of hemodynamic compromise and its consequences are extremely uncommon unless pericardial effusion causes tamponade.

Case Outline: We describe a very rare case of a 30-year old male patient, with an acute aortic dissection type II causing pericardial effusion without clinical nor echocardiographic signs of tamponade, while presenting with an acute renal and hepatic failure.

Incidence, predictors and prognostic implications of bleeding complicating primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background/aim: Data about bleeding complicating primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are more frequently obtained from randomized clinical trials on patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), but less frequently from surveys or registries on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, predictors and prognostic impact of in-hospital major bleeding in the population of unselected real-world patients with acute STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Methods: All consecutive patients presenting with STEMI who underwent primary PCI at a single large tertiary healthcare center between January 2005 and July 2009, were studied.

Prothrombin 3'end gene variants in isolated pulmonary embolism--the first report of FIIc.*64_*66del and FIIc.*303T>C variants.

Objective: Pulmonary embolism is usually considered as a complication of deep vein thrombosis, but there are still a number of cases of isolated pulmonary embolism. We aimed to investigate whether prothrombin 3'end gene variants might play a significant role in the pathogenesis of isolated pulmonary embolism.

Methods And Results: In this study 100 patients with isolated pulmonary embolism and 100 controls were screened by DNA sequencing.

[Contribution of novel anticoagulants fondaparinux and dabigatran to venous thromboembolism prevention].

The data that episodes and sequels of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are recorded in a significant percentage of patients receiving standard anticoagulants as VTE prophylaxis (unfractionated, low-molecular-weight heparin and vitamin K inhibitors) as well as the fact that these drugs have significant limitations and that they may cause serious side-effects in some patients indicate the need for the introduction of new anticoagulant drugs. Fondaparinux, a selective inhibitor of Factor Xa, administered following major orthopedic surgeries having a high risk for the development of VTE, is more efficient than enoxaparin sodium used in European and North-American approved doses. The increased incidence of major bleeding (excluding fatal) due to fondaparinux could be perhaps lowered by dosage reduction in patients with a mildly decreased creatinine clearance.

Amlodipine as an antiischemic drug is superior to long acting nitrates.

European Society of Cardiology Guidelines cite results of meta-analysis that the use of calcium channel blockers results in fewer angina episodes per week vs. long-acting nitrates. Moreover, we listed 12 reasons more to prefer amlodipine over long-acting nitrates, especially in stable angina pectoris patients with arterial hypertension.

[Contemporary approach to primary prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism regarding the impact of risk factors on anticoagulation therapy duration].

Adequate thromboprophylaxis primarily requires timely detection of reversible and irreversible risk factors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and their categorization. It is important to note that the highest percentage ofVTE episodes occur in non-surgical (medical) patients and that VTE develops in a large number of surgical patients upon hospital discharge; this emphasizes the need for adequate VTE prevention in inflammatory diseases, acute medical illness and other medical diseases as well as for prolonging and optimizing the anticoagulant regimen after surgical intervention in the primary VTE prophylaxis. As almost completely unrecognized and neglected major risk factors of VTE in clinical practice, we particularly point out the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure, especially in NYHA functional class III and IV patients with significantly reduced left heart ventricle.

Prognostic implications of bleeding measured by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) categorisation in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between inhospital bleeding as defined by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) consensus classification and short-term and long-term mortality in unselected patients admitted for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We analysed data of all consecutive patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) admitted for primary PCI, enrolled in a prospective registry of a high volume centre. The BARC-defined bleeding events were reconstructed from the detailed, prospectively collected clinical data.

Diagnostic relevance of ADAMTS13 activity: evaluation of 28 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura - hemolytic uremic syndrome clinical diagnosis.

Introduction: The significance of ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif-13) activity for diagnosis and therapy of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is still a controversial issue.

Objective: The aim of this report was to analyze the value of ADAMTS13 measurements in the diagnosis of TTP and HUS.

Methods: At presentation, we analyzed patients with idiopathic TTP (n = 18), secondary TTP (n = 4), diarrhea positive HUS (n = 3) and diarrhea negative HUS (n = 3) treated in Belgrade, Serbia from 2004 to 2010.

Clinical experience in treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura--hemolytic uremic syndrome with 28 patients.

Background: Neither optimal treatment nor significance of ADAMTS13 (A Desintegrin And Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeats) activity for diagnosis and therapy of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) have not been defined yet. The aim of the report is to analyze response to different volumes of plasma exchange (PE), and relationship to ADAMTS13.

Design And Methods: 28 patients clinically diagnosed with idiopathic TTP (n = 18), secondary TTP (n = 4), atypical HUS (n = 3) and typical HUS (n = 3) manifested 31 acute episodes.

Impact of high post-loading platelet aggregation on 30-day clinical outcomes after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The antiplatelet regimen tailoring after primary PCI (ART-PCI) trial.

Background: Patients with high post-loading platelet aggregation (PPA) are at increased risk of stent thrombosis and death after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The objective of the present trial was to examine whether high PPA is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in pPCI patients whose therapy was modified in accordance with PPA.

Methods: We analyzed 961 consecutive pPCI patients who underwent pPCI between February 2008 and June 2011.

Prothrombotic genetic risk factors in stroke: a possible different role in pediatric and adult patients.

The role of thrombophilia in the pathogenesis of stroke is still controversial, especially in the pediatric stroke. In order to examine the role of common thrombophilic mutations in children and adults with stroke, a case-control study was carried out in a group of 80 children and 73 younger adult patients. The control groups encompassed 100 healthy children and 120 healthy blood donors.

Incidence, predictors, and 30-day outcomes of new-onset atrial fibrillation after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: insight into the RISK-PCI trial.

Objectives: Limited data exist about the prognostic significance of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after contemporary primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The objective of this study was to identify the incidence and predictors of new-onset AF and associated adverse 30-day outcomes in AF patients who underwent pPCI.

Methods: We analyzed 2096 patients undergoing pPCI after pretreatment with 600 mg clopidogrel.

Favourable prognostic factors in therapy related acute myeloid leukaemia.

Introduction: Therapy related acute myeloid leukaemia (t-AML) is a distinct clinical entity recognized by the World Health Organization classification occurring after chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment administered for a previous disease. T-AML is characterised by pancytopenia, three-lineage myelodysplasia, high frequency of unfavourable cytogenetics and short survival.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse clinical, cytogenetic, and cytological characteristics of t-AML and their impact on survival.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with iliacofemoropopliteal thrombosis in a patient operated for colorectal carcinoma liver metastases.

We report a case of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia thrombosis (HITT) syndrome in a patient prophylactically treated with low molecular weight heparin. A 66-year-old men underwent radiofrequency-assisted partial liver resection for colorectal carcinoma liver metastases a year-and-a-half after he had been operated for rectal cancer. In the postoperative period, patient was prophilactically treated with reviparin sodium.