Is a Reduced Biochemical Response to Aspirin Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in High Risk Patients With Coronary Artery Disease?

Previous studies indicate that patients with cardiovascular disease have a variable response to aspirin. Despite treatment with aspirin a large number of patients suffer a myocardial infarction. This has given rise to the phenomenon "aspirin low-responsiveness". Laboratory aspirin low-responsiveness can be defined as the failure of aspirin to inhibit platelet production of thromboxane A2 or inhibit thromboxane-dependent platelet aggregation. Whether a low platelet response to aspirin results in an increased risk of future thrombotic events is of great clinical significance, but is still unknown.

The investigators hypothesize that patients with a reduced response to aspirin, determined by platelet aggregation using the apparatus Verify Now Aspirin and Multiplate, have a higher risk of thrombosis.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a higher incidence of cardiovascular events is found in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) having a reduced biochemical response to aspirin compared with CAD patients having a normal biochemical response to aspirin. In addition to CAD, all patients have at least one of the following risc factors: previous myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or renal insufficiency.