Platelet activation status in atherosclerotic disease

In order to provide more information on platelet activation that would be of interest to all clinicians involved in the care of the patient with atherosclerosis, this thesis sets out to provide data to either support or refute the following hypotheses. (1). Platelet activation in patients with stable coronary heart disease increases with the angiographic severity of disease. (2). Patients presenting with the acute manifestations of atherosclerosis have a greater degree of platelet activation than patients with stable disease. (3). Peripheral artery intervention results in the release of the cytokine, sCD40L, by platelets. (4). Platelet microparticle levels are higher in patients with Type 2 Diabetes who develop symptomatic macrovascular disease.;Using both flow cytometric and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) based measurements of platelet activation, this thesis confirms that platelet activation can be related to the clinical severity of atherosclerotic disease. In addition, the development of symptomatic atherosclerotic disease is associated with increased platelet microparticle levels. Peripheral artery angioplasty has also been shown to increase sCD40L release. However, there is no association between platelet activation status and the angiographic severity of coronary heart disease.