Effect of smoking on comparative efficacy of antiplatelet agents: systematic review, meta-analysis, and indirect comparison.

The article discusses a research paper on the effect of smoking on the efficacy of antiplatelet drugs. It references a study by Joshua J. Gagne et al., published online on bmj.com. It shows that clopidogrel, an antiplatelet agent, reduces cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke in smokers, but these clinical benefits were limited in non-smokers. It examines results of randomized trials, which revealed a 15 percent reduction in death, myocardial infarction and stroke in smokers.