Heart disease and platelets (WM Lip as PI)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN ASPIRIN/CLOPIDOGREL RESISTANCE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: ROLE OF DIABETES

• IRAS ID

  59732

• Contact name

  Gregory Lip

• Sponsor organisation

  Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

• Eudract number

  2009-017176.25

• ISRCTN Number

  n/a

• Research summary

  South Asians (SAs) and diabetics are at high risk of heart attack and stroke when compared to white Europeans (WE) and non-diabetics, and this persists despite best medical care. In many cases the cause of a heart attack or stroke is a clot in a crucial artery in the heart or brain. The clot itself is formed from tiny blood cells called platelets. Everyone who has had a heart attack or a stroke should be taking 75 mg of aspirin every day, and many will also be taking another drug called clopidogrel. However, despite taking these drugs, which suppress platelet function, clotting still occurs. This may be because due to a higher than expected frequency of resistance to anti-platelet drugs (aspirin and clopidogrel), which we call 'Platelet resistance' although other related interacting Mechanisms for increased heart disease risk include poor blood vessel function and inflammation. We can also say that people whose platelets are resistant to aspirin are 'Aspirin resistant' while those whose platelets fail to respond to clopidogrel are said to be 'Clopidogrel resistant'. We want to find out if platelets from South Asians and diabetics are more resistant to anti-platelet drugs, which may be a link with increased heart attacks in these groups. Furthermore, if we do find platelet resistance to 75 mg aspirin, we want to see if we can 'cure' it with 300 mg aspirin.

• REC name

  West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  10/H1208/50

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Sep 2010

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion