Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and platelet function.

The effect of some newer non steroidal inflammatory drugs on platelet function has been assessed using platelet malondialdehyde production as a measure of cyclooxygenase activity. After single doses of the short acting NSAID's diflunisal, naproxen and sulindac, platelet malondialdehyde production was substantially diminished at one and three hours. It had largely recovered by 24 hours and had returned to normal by 48 hours. After aspirin malondialdehyde production was markedly reduced and was still down at 72 hours. After the long acting NSAID piroxicam, in doses providing blood levels comparable with those in long term treatment, malondialdehyde production was still down at 72 hours.