[Antiplatelet therapy after acute coronary syndrome. Therapeutic strategies and treatment duration].

Besides percutaneous coronary interventions, antiplatelet drugs are of overwhelming importance for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). For ACS patients, the guidelines recommend treatment with acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 receptor antagonist. The third generation P2Y12 receptor antagonists prasugrel and ticagrelor provide stronger platelet inhibition than clopidogrel and improve the clinical outcome in patients with ACS; however, it is still under discussion which P2Y12 antagonist fits best to which subgroup of ACS patients. This article summarizes current guidelines and antiplatelet treatment strategies for patients with non-ST-segment elevation (NSTE) ACS or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The information is mainly based on the recently published guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology on myocardial revascularization.