Patent ID: 8021854

Claim:
A method for reducing the incidence and severity of vascular disease and its sequelae, comprising the steps of: 1) identifying candidates at risk selected from the group consisting of: reduced mobility, smoking, oral anti-contraceptive, hormone replacement therapy or testosterone use, elevated platelet counts, obesity, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, elevated lipids, atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, arterial thrombosis, stent thrombosis, coronary graft thrombosis, peripheral bypass graft thrombosis, venous thrombosis, microvascular thrombosis, heart valve thrombosis, arterial emboli, venous emboli, microvascular emboli, arterial stenosis, myocardial infarction, infarction of other organs, transient ischemic attack, stroke, arrhythmias, congenital cardiac malformations, radiotherapy to the chest, age above a certain pre-determined threshold, genetic or acquired coagulopathies, hemodialysis, or family history of any of the above; 2) reducing the total circulating platelet activity below normal levels without a transient increase in the total circulating platelet activity, or a transient or permanent increase in the total number of platelets, activated platelets, immature platelets or platelet precursor cells in the peripheral circulation; 3) surveillance of the patient for occult or overt bleeding, or other undesirable effects of treatment; 4) periodic re-evaluation of the patient's risk factors.