Lysine salt of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was given to ten patients by intravenous infusion. Blood samples taken at intervals during the infusion permitted the examination of the influence of the dose of ASA on platelet functions. Aggregation was significantly reduced when 50 mg ASA had entered circulation, while a diminution of PF3 and PF4 availability could only be demonstrated when the dose had reached 500 and 200 mg, respectively. In order to exclude a longer latency time for the diminution of PF3 and pf4 availability, a second series of ten patients received intravenous injections of 100 and 300 mg ASA, respectively. From these patients, blood was taken 1 h after the injection. The decrease of PF3 and PF4 availability in these cases was comparable to the results of the first group. In a third series of patients, a daily intravenous dose of 2,000 mg ASA was given. In these cases, a moderate decrease of factors II, VII, IX and X was observed. Since the appearance of a PIVKA effect could also be demonstrated, vitamin K antagonism was assumed when a high dose of AS