[Imputable cutaneous eruption caused by ticlopidine after implantation of a coronary endoprosthesis: why not continue treatment?]. / Eruption cutanée imputable à la ticlopidine après implantation d'une endoprothèse coronaire: pourquoi ne pas poursuivre le traitement?

BACKGROUND: The decision to interrupt a ticlopidine regimen in a patient who develops an adverse effect can be particularly difficult when discontinuing the drug could lead to a high risk situation. CASE REPORT: A 64-year old patient developed a skin rash after taking ticlopidine for coronary artery stenting. Stopping ticlopidine could have led to stent occlusion and no alternative therapy seemed to be suitable. We therefore decided to carry on the treatment under close clinical surveillance. The skin signs rapidly resolved. DISCUSSION: This cases shows that ticlopidine may be continued in patients who develop an adverse skin reaction. The rapid involution of the cutaneous signs in our patient demonstrated that the risk of discontinuing treatment can be greater than that of continuing.