Published by:

Atherosclerosis is the most frequent cause of coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease, leading causes of morbidity and mortality (1,2). The rupture of athero-sclerotic plaques and subsequent thrombus formation has a fundamental role in the development of acute coronary syndromes (1,3–5). After plaques rupture, a highly thrombogenic lipid core is exposed to circulat-ing blood elements, particularly platelets, that initiates a complex process of platelet adhesion, activation, and aggregation (3). An appreciation of the central role of platelets in arterial thrombosis has made antiplatelet therapy the mainstay of treatment of cardiovascular disease and strokes (1,2,4). For some time now, aspirin has been the corner-stone of antiplatelet therapy for atherothrombotic vas