The Charisma of Subgroups and the Subgroups of CHARISMA

Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, an irreversible inhibitor of platelet cyclooxygenase, has earned its rightful place as a cornerstone of treatment for reducing cardiovascular events in patients with established vascular disease.1,2 This statement is based on consistent results favoring aspirin in a large number of randomized, controlled trials in populations with either acute or long-term disease. Clopidogrel, by inhibiting the adenosine diphosphate P2Y12 receptor, offers a distinctly different mechanism to reduce platelet activation and aggregation. As monotherapy, clopidogrel has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of vascular events in patients with established vascular disease.3 Even more . . .