title: Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition in acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: Acute coronary syndromes are a leading cause of hospitalization in industrialized countries. Current antithrombotic therapy focuses on relatively weak antiplatelet agents and heparin. The advent of inhibitors of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor, the final common pathway for aggregation, provides a new therapeutic modality. Clinical trials with a total of more than 18,000 patients have clearly shown the benefits of intravenous IIb/IIIa blockade. Overall, at 30 days, 13 fewer deaths or myocardial infarctions occurred for every 1000 patients treated in these trials. This favorable outcome was extended to 6 months, resulting in 16 fewer such events per 1000 patients treated. Importantly, these benefits were not accompanied by an excessive occurrence in bleeding complications or thrombocytopenia. To further improve outcomes in this high-risk group of patients, strategies pertaining to prolonged periods of vessel passivation with oral formulations and early or delayed invasive approaches are being studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, F-25, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Moliterno
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000077542:Eptifibatide; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D010455:Peptides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000077466:Tirofiban; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D010455:Peptides; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D014443:Tyrosine; C084062:lamifiban; D000077466:Tirofiban; D000077542:Eptifibatide