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Antiplatelet Therapy in Pediatric Cardiovascular Patients

Pediatric Cardiology volume 31, pages 454–461 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Platelets play a critical role in normal physiologic processes such as hemostasis, wound healing, inflammation, and innate immunity. However, they also play a role in the pathologic process of thrombosis. Although antiplatelet therapy is most commonly used to prevent thrombotic events for adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease, children with certain types of congenital heart disease, stroke, and Kawasaki disease also are at risk for thrombosis and may benefit from antiplatelet therapy. Unfortunately, very little data on the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet therapy for pediatric patients are available. As a consequence, consistent clinical practice among pediatric practitioners is lacking. Furthermore, much of what is practiced results from extrapolation from adult studies, which may be problematic because many aspects of platelet biology differ between children and adults. This review discusses aspects of antiplatelet therapy for pediatric patients.

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Acknowledgments

This article was written and edited by the authors, who take full responsibility for its content. Editorial assistance with searching the literature, coordinating revisions, and creating tables in the preparation of this articlet was provided by Melanie Leiby, PhD, of Wolters Kluwer, and funded by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc. The authors did not receive any compensation for this work.

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  1. Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center and Duke Clinical Research Institute, P.O. Box 17969, Durham, NC, 27705, USA

    Jennifer S. Li

  2. Department of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Jane W. Newburger

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Correspondence to Jennifer S. Li.

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Li, J.S., Newburger, J.W. Antiplatelet Therapy in Pediatric Cardiovascular Patients. Pediatr Cardiol 31, 454–461 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-010-9672-2

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Keywords

  • Antiplatelet therapy
  • Congenital cardiac defects
  • Kawasaki disease
  • Pediatric
  • Stroke