title: Eptifibatide and risk of bleeding after failed thrombolysis.
abstract: The safety of adjunct eptifibatide in the setting of rescue angioplasty (PTCA) with or without stenting after full-dose thrombolytic therapy is not well defined. Our study was undertaken to assess the risk of hemorrhagic complications following use of eptifibatide in patients undergoing rescue PTCA/stenting following failed thrombolysis. Clinical records of 43 consecutive patients (53% males) who received eptifibatide during rescue PTCA/stenting following full-dose fibrinolytic therapy were reviewed. Data were collected for: timing of rescue PTCA following fibrinolytic use; concomitant use of other antiplatelet agents; hospital length of stay; in-hospital mortality; and incidence of bleeding complications. Bleeding complications were categorized as major or minor according to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) study group criteria. Overall bleeding complications developed in 13 patients (30%), with 4 patients (9%) experiencing major bleeding. Univariate predictors of major bleeding complications were: older age; female sex; lower baseline platelet count; and time to initiation of eptifibatide following failed thrombolysis. On multivariate analysis, the only predictors of bleeding were gender (27% in females versus 3% in males; odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.9) and time to initiation of eptifibatide following failed thrombolysis (4.6 +/- 2 hours versus 11 +/- 9 hours; p<0.04; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-11.4). Use of potent antiplatelet agents during rescue PTCA/stenting results in an increased risk of bleeding. Careful attention to predictors of bleeding and, in particular, delaying eptifibatide administration following full-dose fibrinolytic use may result in the reduction of major and minor bleeding complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, St John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA. arshadali@aol.com
authors.forename: Arshad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Arshad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rehan
authors.forename: Jagadeesh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ganji
authors.forename: Asim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munir
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Shahabuddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lalonde
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schreiber
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000077542:Eptifibatide; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000077542:Eptifibatide