Background: Interventional techniques are commonly performed with adjunctiv
e therapy including clopidogrel, ticlopidine, abciximab and heparin. We wis
hed to assess the current British use of antiplatelet and anticoagulant age
nts as adjunctive therapies in interventional cardiology in the light of th
e available evidence base regarding their usage. Methods: A simple structur
ed questionnaire was sent between August and October 1999 to all interventi
onal cardiology consultants working in the UK regarding their usage of abci
ximab (ReoPro), heparin, clopidogrel (Plavix) and ticlopidine (Ticlid) peri
-procedurally. Results: 68% of consultants responded over the next 4 months
, with many replying jointly for a centre rather than individually. Average
abciximab use was 8.3% of interventional cases. Eighty-two percent of clin
icians used clopidogrel in stented patients. Exact dosages varied considera
bly. Fifty-three percent of clinicians gave 10 000 IU or more of heparin ro
utinely. Conclusions: These figures are not in line with the published evid
ence and British interventionists appear to have adopted various strategies
to target the use of these agents. In particular, abciximab appears to be
being administered reactively, as and when problems arise in the catheteris
ation lab. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.