Dual antiplatelet therapy consisting of aspirin and clopidogrel is the cornerstone of treatment for prevention of thrombotic events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there are a considerable number of patients who continue to have recurrent ischemic events despite this treatment regimen. These observations underscore the need for more potent antiplatelet therapies. Recently, two P2Y12 receptor inhibitors have been approved for clinical use: prasugrel and ticagrelor. Both prasugrel and ticagrelor have shown to be associated with more potent antiplatelet effects compared with clopidogrel. These more favorable pharmacodynamic effects translate into reduced ischemic event rates, at the expense of an increased risk of bleeding in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Overall, these drugs are associated with an improved net clinical benefit. These findings from large-scale clinical investigations have led to approval of prasugrel and ticagrelor. However, to date there are limited head-to-head comparisons of these two new agents.
