INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY 

Minerva Cardioangiologica 2012 February;60(1):95-100

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and bivalirudin in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Mahmoudi M., Waksman R. ✉

Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is currently the standard of care for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), as well those patients with “stable” angina who have failed medical therapy in whom PCI is an acceptable alternative to surgical revascularization. The aim of adjunctive antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy during PCI is to alleviate the risks associated with platelet activation and aggregation, iatrogenic plaque rupture, and thrombus formation during. The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence that has emerged from the randomized studies comparing a strategy combining heparin and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) with that of bivalirudin in patients undergoing elective and urgent PCI.