Introduction Citalopram is a preferred medication used for the treatment of depression and belongs to a group known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). When used on a long-term basis, it leads to a significant decrease of serotonin in thrombocytes. Citalopram-treated patients often display haemorrhagia that is explained by its anti-platelet effect, which is also - more or less - the case for other medications from the SSRI group. Aim of the Thesis The aim of the thesis was to find out: a) Whether citalopram treatment (2 weeks) has influence on the plasma concentration of thromboxane B2; b) Whether there is a relation between the expected decrease of thromboxane B2 levels and the plasma concentration of citalopram. Methods and Patient Population We carried out clinical and laboratory tests on a study population consisting of elderly and polymorbid patients who underwent a 14-day citalopram treatment with daily doses of 20mg. Among other tests, we observed the plasma concentration of thromboxane and citalopram. Out of 160 patients examined, 78 patients were assessed. Results Our study has proved that even a short-term citalopram treatment results to a significant increase in the plasma concentration of thromboxane B2 and the suppression rate of thromboxane B2 correlates with the higher...

Introduction Citalopram is a preferred medication used for the treatment of depression and belongs to a group known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). When used on a long-term basis, it leads to a significant decrease of serotonin in thrombocytes. Citalopram-treated patients often display haemorrhagia that is explained by its anti-platelet effect, which is also - more or less - the case for other medications from the SSRI group. Aim of the Thesis The aim of the thesis was to find out: a) Whether citalopram treatment (2 weeks) has influence on the plasma concentration of thromboxane B2; b) Whether there is a relation between the expected decrease of thromboxane B2 levels and the plasma concentration of citalopram. Methods and Patient Population We carried out clinical and laboratory tests on a study population consisting of elderly and polymorbid patients who underwent a 14-day citalopram treatment with daily doses of 20mg. Among other tests, we observed the plasma concentration of thromboxane and citalopram. Out of 160 patients examined, 78 patients were assessed. Results Our study has proved that even a short-term citalopram treatment results to a significant increase in the plasma concentration of thromboxane B2 and the suppression rate of thromboxane B2 correlates with the higher...

Introduction: Bivalirudin and heparin are the two most commonly used anticoagulants used during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). The results of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) comparing bivalirudin versus heparin monotherapy in the era of radial access are controversial, questioning the positive impact of bivalirudin on bleeding. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the results of RCTs comparing the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin versus heparin with or without Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors (GPI). Methods: This systematic review was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses PRISMA statements for reporting systematic reviews. We searched the National Library of Medicine PubMed, Clinicaltrial.gov and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to include clinical studies comparing bivalirudin with heparin in patients undergoing PCI. Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria and were reviewed for the summary. Findings: Several RCTs and meta-analyses have demonstrated the superiority of bivalirudin over heparin plus routine GPI use in terms of preventing bleeding complications but at the expense of increased risk of ischemic complications such as stent thrombosis. The hypothesis of post-PCI bivalirudin infusion to mitigate the risk of acute stent thrombosis has been tested in various RCTs with conflicting results. In comparison, heparin offers the advantage of having a reversible agent, of lower cost and reduced incidence of ischemic complications. Conclusion: Bivalirudin demonstrates its superiority over heparin plus GPI with better clinical outcomes in terms of less bleeding complications, thus making it as anticoagulation of choice particularly in patients at high risk of bleeding. Further studies are warranted for head to head comparison of bivalirudin to heparin monotherapy to establish an optimal heparin dosing regimen and post-PCI bivalirudin infusion to affirm its beneficial effect in reducing acute stent thrombosis.