Health Library Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors for Heart Attack and Unstable AnginaFrom Healthwise

These medicines prevent the formation of blood clots.

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are typically used along with angioplasty, stenting, or atherectomy procedures. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors help prevent reclosure of the blood vessel (restenosis) after these procedures.¹ These medicines are often used along with aspirin and heparin.

After angioplasty

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors may reduce the chance of a heart attack when used after angioplasty with stenting and in people with unstable angina.² Although these medicines appear to be useful when given immediately after angioplasty and stenting, long-term use has not proven beneficial.

Abciximab is generally preferred over eptifibatide when angioplasty is performed. Abciximab has been shown to reduce the rate of future heart attack after angioplasty.³

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors may lower the risk of death in people who have angioplasty after a heart attack.⁴

Some side effects of these medicines may include:

• Increased bleeding (hemorrhage) in the brain, stomach, intestines, or other internal organs.
• Increased bruising.
• Stomach irritation.
• Allergic reaction.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

If you have unstable angina and are at medium to high risk of a heart attack, you may be a candidate for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.⁵

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are only used in the hospital, such as before or after an angioplasty.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

1. American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) (2002). Guideline update for the management of patients with unstable angina and non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Report of the ACC/AHA Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Available online: http://www.acc.org/clinical/topic/topic.htm#guidelines.

2. Lincoff AM, et al. (1999). Complementary clinical benefits of coronary artery stenting and blockage of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors. New England Journal of Medicine, 341(5): 319–327.

3. Brown DL, et al. (2001). Meta-analysis of effectiveness and safety of abciximab versus eptifibatide or tirofiban in percutaneous coronary intervention. American Journal of Cardiology, 87(5): 537–541.

4. De Luca G, et al. (2005). Abciximab as adjunctive therapy to reperfusion in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis of randomized trials. JAMA, 293(14): 1759–1765.

5. O'Rourke RA, et al. (2001). New approaches to diagnosis and management of unstable angina and non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161(5): 674–682.

Author:	Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: May 14, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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