[Severe bleeding with antiplatelet therapy: What to do?]

Abstract

Antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of coronary artery disease treatment and prevention. Combination of aspirin and P2Y₁₂ inhibitor is recommended after acute coronary syndrome and after elective percutaneous coronary intervention. The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy depends on the individual ischemic and bleeding risk of the patient. Bleeding on dual anti platelet therapy remains the most frequent complication of antiplatelet therapy even is mostly minimal or moderate. Beyond individualized evaluation of patients' bleeding risk, management of patients with severe bleeding complications is a challenging situation and requires general and specific recommendations with interruption of the dual antiplatelet therapy in the vast majority of the cases.