Pharmacodynamics During Transition Between Platelet P2Y12 Inhibiting Therapies

Several platelet P2Y12 inhibiting agents, both oral and intravenous, are available for clinical use. The oral P2Y12 inhibitors comprise clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor. Cangrelor is the only intravenous P2Y12 inhibitor. Numerous pharmacodynamic studies have been performed to assess the impact of P2Y12 inhibitor switching on platelet reactivity profiles and to define the optimal strategy if switching is needed, with the goal of minimizing the risk of having inadequate platelet inhibition due to potential drug-drug interactions occurring during the drug overlap phase. This article provides an overview of pharmacodynamic studies assessing switching between P2Y12 inhibitors and recommendations on switching modalities based on these findings.