A brief review of the past and future of platelet P2Y12 antagonist.

ADP plays a pivotal role in localized platelet activation and recruitment, and, with that, in the maintenance of thrombus integrity, making it a suitable target for the control of intravascular thrombosis. The limited distribution of one of its receptors, the P2Y12 receptor, primarily to platelets makes it an especially attractive pharmacologic target. For the last several decades the thienopyridine family of P2Y12 antagonists have provided the vast majority of clinical data confirming the clinical benefit of selective P2Y12 inhibition. Recently, new thienopyridine plus nonthienopyridine P2Y12 antagonists have become available or are being studied that will further improve our treatment of patients with coronary disease.