Should GP IIb-IIIa Be Used Always or Selectively during PCI?
By Candace Hoffmann Special to DG News WASHINGTON, DC — September 30, 2002 — Whether or not to use a glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitor such as abciximab during percutaneous interventions (PCI) may come down to the art of medicine surrounding individual clinician choice. A debate during the annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics meeting showed convincing evidence pro and con for their use. A meta-analysis shows that the use of IIb-IIIa inhibitors results in a reduction in mortality, myocardial infarction and urgent interventions, and they are cost-effective. Dr. Robert M. Califf from the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina, taking the “pro” stance in the debate, said that the earlier this therapy is used, the better the outcomes will be. He cited the American Heart Association Guidelines and warned that the interventional cardiologist should not dismiss the importance of using the IIb-IIIa inhibitors. Instead, he said, lesions are stented rather casually
