title: Safety of tirofiban therapy in korean patients with acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although it has been reported that the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, tirofiban, is beneficial in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), there is little data concerning the risks and complications of tirofiban therapy in Korean patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present study reviewed 261 patients who underwent tirofiban administration for ACS between May 2002 and August 2003. The rates of bleeding, transfusion, and thrombocytopenia were analyzed and the rates of complications by age, gender, and PCI vs medical treatment were compared. The rate of minor bleeding was 8.1% (21 patients), major bleeding was 2.3% (6 patients), transfusion was 4.6% (12 patients), and thrombocytopenia was 1.2% (3 patients). Minor bleeding showed a similar rate in both sexes (8% in males vs 8.1% in females) but was higher with older age (12.5% > or = 65 vs 2.6% < 65 years old, p = 0.093). Major bleeding occurred more in older females (5.4% vs 0%, 4.2% vs 0%, p = 0.25, 0.093, respectively). The rates of thrombocytopenia and transfusion were higher in old age (2.1% vs 0% by gender, 8.3% vs 0% by age, p = 0.052, 0.087 respectively). The rates of complications were similar for groups compared with PCI or medical treatment, and vascular access route.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that tirofiban is a safe and tolerable therapy for Korean patients with ACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Kook-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: June Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Taek Jong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yung Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D000077466:Tirofiban; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014443:Tyrosine; D000077466:Tirofiban