Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and confers an increasing risk of stent thrombosis even when dual antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel and aspirin) is administered. Recently, we demonstrated that patients with severe CKD or end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) exhibited higher platelet reactivity to clopidogrel than did those with normal renal function. One of good option to overcome high platelet reactivity in ESRD patients would be ticagrelor which has been already shown improved clinical outcomes. But little is known the antiplatelet effects of ticagrelor in ESRD patients on HD. The present study was designed to determine the antiplatelet effect as well as the onset and offset action of ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with ESRD undergoing maintenance HD.
