Cangrelor in a challenging scenario of concomitant ischaemic stroke, pulmonary embolism, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a case report

Antithrombotic therapy in acute patients with both high ischaemic and bleeding risks remains challenging.

We presented a challenging case involving a 48-year-old man referred to our hospital for headache and a left superior quadrantanopia. A CT scan revealed a right inferior occipital lobe ischaemic stroke. During the hospital stay, the patients developed pulmonary embolism (PE), and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A triple antithrombotic therapy was indicated, but the patient presented with high bleeding (anaemia, active malignancy, ischaemic stroke) and ischaemic (ischaemic stroke, PE, and superimposed STEMI) risks. In this critical acute setting, prolonged cangrelor infusion of reduced dosage, coupled with aspirin and enoxaparin, proved an effective and safe antithrombotic approach.

Prolonged cangrelor bridging at a reduced dose of 0.75 μg/kg/min may represent an effective and safe option in acute patients requiring P2Y12 inhibition and presenting both high ischaemic and high bleeding risks.