Does antiplatelet therapy enhance myocardial salvage after coronary reperfusion?

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that either the cyclooxygenase inhibitor aspirin or the thromboxane A2receptor antagonist sulotroban exerts a direct myocardial effect that enhances myocardial salvage worded by reperfusion. Accordingly, 21 anesthetized dogs underwent suture occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. At 2.5 h after occlusion, all dogs received intravenous streptokinase (20,000 U/kg y weight over 30 min) and were randomized to the following groups: group I (n = 7) received no additional treatment, group II (n = 7) received aspirin (5 mg/kg intravenously) and group III (n = 7) received sulotroban (10 mg/kg followed by 10 mg/kg per h intravenously). At 3 h after occlusion, the dogs underwent coronary reperfusion for the next 3 h.