Purpuric herpes zoster in patients in therapy with clopidogrel

Clopidogrel is an adenosine diphosphate receptor antagonist used for the prevention of vascular events in patients with atherothrombotic diseases manifested by recent myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke or peripheral arterial disease. Diarrhoea, rash and pruritus are rather common side effects of clopidogrel. Other side effects include epistaxis, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcer. Thrombocytopenia is the most common laboratory abnormality. Leucopenia and neutropenia are rare. We report three cases of purpuric herpes zoster in patients in therapy with clopidogrel. To our knowledge, only one case of haemorrhagic herpes zoster has been published in a patient in therapy with this drug.