Aspirin resistance and its implications in clinical practice

Recent studies have suggested that some patients may not obtain the full benefits of aspirin's antiplatelet effects. An international roundtable of experts was held November 6, 2004, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to address the concept of aspirin resistance and its clinical implications. Panelists discussed various definitions and possible mechanisms of aspirin resistance, along with several tests currently available to measure platelet function. They recommended that until the clinical importance of these tests is known, physicians should continue to prescribe low-dose aspirin therapy for individuals at high risk for cardiovascular events and patients currently taking aspirin should continue to comply with their prescribed therapy.