Jeong YJ, et al. - Given a significant improvement in microvascular dysfunction with 6 months of ticagrelor therapy vs clopidogrel has been reported in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with stent implantation in the PLEIO (comParison of ticagreLor and clopidogrEl on mIcrocirculation in patients with acute cOronary syndrome) study, and considering that improved microvascular function may influence myocardial blood flow (MBF), researchers compared ticagrelor vs clopidogrel in terms of effects on MBF over a 6-month follow-up in patients diagnosed with ACS managed with percutaneous coronary intervention. On a per-patient level, a significantly higher MBF was recorded with ticagrelor vs clopidogrel in the hyperemic state, but not under resting state. Similar resting MBF was recorded in both groups, on a culprit-vessel analysis. Overall, an increase in the hyperemic MBF and myocardial flow reserve was evident in correlation with maintenance treatment of ticagrelor vs clopidogrel.