Does Platelet Reactivity Predict Bleeding in Patients Needing Urgent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting During Dual Antiplatelet Therapy?

A gradual decrease in red blood cell loss and BARC-4 bleeding occurs with increasing platelet reactivity in patients on antiplatelet therapy undergoing CABG. Our findings support current guidelines to determine time of surgery based on an objective measurement of platelet function (Platelet Inhibition and Bleeding in Patients Undergoing Emergent Cardiac Surgery; clinicaltrials.gov NCT01468597).