The central role of platelet activation in determining the severity of acute coronary syndromes: Table 1

ecent observational studies in acute coronary syndromes have shown that factors influencing the degree of platelet activation also influence the mode of presentation. Prior aspirin treatment and smoking-with directionally opposite effects on platelet function-were found to be independently associated with unstable angina and myocardial infarction, respectively. 1 However, the few studies involving direct measurement of activation parameters in acute coronary syndromes have not provided a consensus regarding this. 2 3 To clarify whether there is differential activation in unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction we have prospectively assessed platelet activation in a cohort of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes by using a light scattering technology to determine mean platelet component, a marker of platelet degranulation.