A considerable number of patients suffer acute coronary events despite being treated with antiplatelet therapy such as aspirin. Taken together with laboratory findings of a low response to aspirin, the term aspirin resistance has been coined. Diabetics have an increased risk of suffering ischemic vascular events and, recently, an increased prevalence of aspirin resistance was reported in these patients. The purpose of the present study is to compare the aspirin response in diabetics and non-diabetics in a population with angiogram-verified coronary artery disease. Furthermore, healthy volunteers and patients who suffered a myocardial infarction while being treated with aspirin are included. Eligible patients are identified in the Western Denmark Heart Registry.
Despite treatment with aspirin a large number of patients suffer a myocardial infarction. It has been speculated that these patients might be resistant to aspirin, and studies have indicated that this phenomenon is related to a less favourable prognosis. Furthermore, patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of myocardial infarction and other vascular events and, recently, it has been suggested that diabetics do not respond adequately to aspirin. The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of aspirin resistance in diabetics and non-diabetics. Furthermore, patients who suffered a myocardial infarction while being treated with aspirin are included. We hypothesize that the prevalence of aspirin resistance will be higher among diabetics compared to other patients and to healthy individuals.