Tag: Thrombotic risk

For patients on antiplatelet medication, premature discontinuation of clopidogrel has been associated with a five- to tenfold increase in the risk of cardiovascular events and death in those with recent stent placement. Determining exactly when to restart clopidogrel post-op requires carefully weighing the risk of surgical bleeding against the risk of potentially life-threatening thrombotic events. This decision is never a one-size-fits-all approach and depends on numerous factors unique to each patient and procedure.

Following a gastrointestinal (GI) bleed, permanently discontinuing antiplatelet therapy is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. The clinical dilemma of deciding **when to restart antiplatelet therapy after GI bleed** requires a careful, individualized balance of weighing re-bleeding risk against potentially fatal thrombotic events.