For as an adjunct to coumarin anticoagulants in the prevention of postoperative thromboembolic complications of cardiac valve replacement and also used in prevention of angina.
Dipyridamole likely inhibits both adenosine deaminase and phosphodiesterase, preventing the degradation of cAMP, an inhibitor of platelet function. This elevation in cAMP blocks the release of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids and reduces thromboxane A2 activity. Dipyridamole also directly stimulates the release of prostacyclin, which induces adenylate cyclase activity, thereby raising the intraplatelet concentration of cAMP and further inhibiting platelet aggregation.
Hypotension, if it occurs, is likely to be of short duration, but a vasopressor drug may be used if necessary. The oral LD<sub>50</sub> in rats is greater than 6,000 mg/kg while in the dogs, the oral LD<sub>50</sub> is approximately 400 mg/kg. LD<sub>50</sub>=8.4g/kg (orally in rat)
70%
40 minutes
Dipyridamole is metabolized in the liver to the glucuronic acid conjugate and excreted with the bile.
* 1 to 2.5 L/kg
* 2.3-3.5 mL/min/kg