Abstract
Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to estimates, 1.25 million acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) occur in the United States each year, 500,000 of which result in death (half of those resulting from sudden death within the first hour). Worldwide, the annual death toll from AMI is approximately 4 million. Inhibitors of platelet function have been associated with decreased morbidity in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Reperfusion of occluded coronary arteries via thrombolytic therapy has markedly reduced mortality and morbidity resulting from events of acute myocardial infarction. This article addresses several antiplatelet and antithrombin agents currently in clinical use throughout the United States.