Timing Matters: Platelet Reactivity Predicts Early Events While Clinical Risk Governs Long-Term Outcomes Post-PCI

Introduction: The Complex Interplay of Risk in Coronary Artery Disease

Despite significant advancements in drug-eluting stent (DES) technology and potent antiplatelet therapies, patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remain at risk for recurrent ischemic events. Conventionally, clinical management has focused on two primary pillars of risk: the biological response to antiplatelet therapy, often measured as platelet reactivity (PR), and the patient’s overall clinical profile. While both are known to influence outcomes, the temporal nature of their impact—how their predictive value changes from the acute phase to the long-term maintenance phase—has remained insufficiently characterized. A deeper understanding of this temporal divergence is essential for optimizing personalized secondary prevention strategies.

The PTRG-DES Registry: Study Design and Population