Coronary intervention and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa integrin blockade

In a few short years, platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists h ave been developed from laboratory curiosities to critical treatment adjunc ts to the successful performance of PCI. With more than 15 000 patients par ticipating in trials of these agents during PCI, it is now clear that glyco protein IIb/IIIa blockade reduces rates of adverse cardiovascular sequelae after PCI. Abciximab is the most extensively studied agent to date, but tri als of other antagonists, particularly eptifibatide and tirofiban, support the utility of this class of therapeutic agents as a whole. This paper exam ines and interprets the results of large-scale clinical trials of glycoprot ein IIb/IIIa inhibition during PCI and reviews directions for future study with this unique class of agents. Coronary Artery Dis 10:553-560 (C) 1999 L ippincott Williams & Wilkins.