Platelet function and diabetes mellitus

Platelet aggregation was found to be enhanced in diabetic patients, who did not show any clinical evidence of diabetic vascular disease. This increase was shown with all the four aggregating agents, that is, ADP, epinephrine, collagen and arachidonic acid. Platelet aggregation was enhanced in diabetic patients with clinically apparent diabetic vascular disease. We did not find any difference between the Platelet aggregation of diabetic patients with and without diabetic vascular complications. The aggregation pattern was found to be similar in all the diabetic groups with all four aggregating agents. No significant difference was found between intensity of aggregation, rate of aggregation and lag phase when different concentrations of the aggregating agents were used

Effect of sulfonylurea on platelet aggregation in diabetes mellitus

The platelets of many patients with diabetes mellitus are abnormally sensitive to the effect of aggregatory agents in vitro. It has been proposed that this abnormal platelet function may play a role in pathogenesis of vascular disease in diabetic subjects, The present study reports the platelet aggregation pattern of different diabetic groups. Patients controlled on diet, by insulin and biguanide group of drugs showed increased platelet aggregation to ADP and collagen, while the patients controlled by sulfonylurea showed a normal aggregation. The alterations in platelet function did not correlate with blood glucose level, suggesting, therefore, that it is the effect of drug itself