Changes in morning platelet aggregation in patients with peripheral obliterating arteriopathy after evening administration of picotamide

Platelets are involved in the progressive pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. It has been shown that there is usually an increase in platelet aggregation between 6 and 9 a.m.; in the present study. in 10 patients suffering from chronic occlusive arterial disease, the impedancemetric method was used to evaluate, in whole blood, platelet aggregation induced by ADP and collagen the day prior to and the day following the evening administration of 300 mg picotamide. Analysis of the data obtained shows, in accordance with the findings of other authors, in increase of platelet aggregation from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. This increase is suppressed by the evening administration of the anti-aggregant.