Perioperative management of antiplatelet drugs

Antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, are widely used in primary and secondary care and are very commonly encountered in the perioperative setting. In this article we explore the specific uses of antiplatelet drugs, their mechanisms of action and possible consequences of their discontinuation. An algorithm is included to guide decisions on whether to stop drugs in the perioperative period.

 Juliet Barker, Richard Telford and Tara Bolton