- Discussion:
- principal metabolite of arachidonic acid in platelets;
- stimulates platelet activation, and assists in intravascular
aggregation of platelets;
-
ASA irreversibly inhibits cyclooxygenase by acetylation of
serine residue at its active site;
- cyclooxygenase must be continuously produced in endothelial cells,
since they recover their ability to synthesize
Prostacyclin
within a few hours;
- platelets cannot produce cyclooxygenase, & thromboxane synthesis
recovers only as new platelets enter circulation;
