Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology and therapeutics
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J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. Ther. · Mar 2007
Clinical TrialPreoperative platelet inhibition with eptifibatide during coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass.
Platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa antagonists reduce cardiac events in acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), but their use is limited during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) because of bleeding concerns. Patients with ACS, however, are at increased risk for cardiac events after CABG. The use of short-acting glycoprotein IIbIIIa inhibitor eptifibatide in patients with ACS undergoing CABG was investigated. ⋯ Cessation of eptifibatide 4 hours before surgery results in less bleeding and transfusions than 2 hours before surgery. The optimal balance between bleeding and platelet inhibition is approximately 60% platelet RO. Further investigation of upstream therapy should target this threshold.