The Analysis of Platelet Function Following Cessation of Ticagrelor
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Analysis of Platelet Function Following Cessation of Ticagrelor: A Preliminary Study
IRAS ID
148297
Contact name
Seema Agarwal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Ticagrelor is an anti-platelet agent that functions by blocking the ADP receptor on the surface of the platelet. It is administered in the treatment of patients experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (MI). One of the treatment options for a patient experiencing an MI is primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) prior to which this drug is given. Occasionally this treatment is not sufficient to restore blood flow to the areas of the heart with compromised blood flow and these patients are referred for urgent surgery in the form of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Treatment of these patients with ticagrelor is stopped immediately, but the effect of this drug on the function of platelets is prolonged. Where platelet function is reduced there is an increased risk of bleeding and therefore surgery is frequently delayed to allow platelet function to return to normal. Multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) is a method of assessing platelet function, and in the presence of ticagrelor the reduced function of the platelets can be identified. Other studies have shown that there is a relationship between the results of MEA studies and the extent of bleeding during and after cardiac surgery. Our study aims to assess whether the results of MEA testing in the presence of previous treatment with ticagrelor can predict the risk of peri-operative bleeding during cardiac surgery and also whether it is possible to individualise the timing of surgery according to platelet function as shown by MEA. This may allow patients at high risk of suffering a further MI to be operated on sooner, and may also identify patients with ongoing reduced platelet function that are at high risk of bleeding.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/0234
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion