Does ticagrelor protect against reperfusion injury and improve heart function compared to clopidogrel after myocardial infarction?
Ticagrelor offers cardioprotective benefits against reperfusion injury and improves post-MI remodeling independent of its antiplatelet effects, unlike clopidogrel.
Ticagrelor, but not clopidogrel, administered just before reperfusion protects against reperfusion injury. This acute treatment or chronic ticagrelor for 4 weeks or their combination improved heart function, whereas clopidogrel, despite achieving a similar degree of platelet inhibition, had no effect.
Ye et al. (Fri,) studied this question.