Use of platelet inhibitor drugs in peripheral and cerebral vascular disorders.

A review is given on the clinical studies performed with aspirin in patients with chronic vascular occlusions of the limbs and on studies in cerebral ischemia using aspirin and sulfinpyrazone. Aspirin reduces the risk of reocclusions in patients after vascular surgery and also reduces the risk of peripheral vascular occlusions in diabetic patients. In doses of 1.2-1.5 g/day it also reduces the frequency of transient ischemic attacks. Conclusive results of similar studies with sulfinpyrazone and dipyridamole can be expected of the ongoing studies. Aspirin has no effect on the course of glomerulonephritis in children. Warfarin plus dipyridamole seem to have some effect in patients renal allografts. Sulfinpyrazone and ASA reduced the incidence of shunt thromboses in hemodialyzed patients. Several case reports in patients with thrombocytemia or Raynaud's syndrome made it likely that treatment with antiplatelet drug reduces the incidence of vascular occlusions.