Oral Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Acute Coronary Syndromes

Despite the use of recommended antiplatelet treatment strategies, the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been consistently associated with a higher risk of recurrent ischemic events in patients suffering an acute coronary syndrome. The high prevalence of DM patients presenting with low responsiveness to standard oral antiplatelet treatment regimens contributes to these impaired outcomes. This article provides an overview of the currently available oral antiplatelet agents, focusing on limitations of these therapies in DM patients, and evaluates new antithrombotic treatment strategies that may help overcome these limitations.