Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
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Summary
GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are a class of drugs that includes tirofiban, abciximab (ab SIX i mab), and eptifibatide (ep TIF i ba tide). These drugs work to inhibit platelet aggregation, by blocking the interaction of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa on platelets with fibrinogen molecules that would otherwise lead to the creation of a platelet plug during blood clot formation. GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are indicated in patients with acute coronary syndrome, especially in patients who are undergoing coronary artery stenting procedures.
Key Points
- GP IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
- Drug Names
- Abciximab
- Eptifibatide
- Tirofiban
- Mechanism
- Competitively inhibit glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors on platelets
- Prevents platelet aggregation
- Normally, aggregation occurs via fibrinogen cross-linking using glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors
- Similar effect to Glanzmann’s Thrombasthenia
- Bleeding disorder in which platelets lack glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors
- Prevents platelet aggregation
- Competitively inhibit glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors on platelets
- Clinical Use
- Prevention of thrombosis for acute coronary syndrome
- Especially during/after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), also known as stenting
- Used to treat unstable angina and acute coronary syndrome (e.g. NSTEMI)
- Used in high risk patients
- Continued ischemia despite dual antiplatelet therapy
- Large coronary thrombus or thrombotic complication during PCI
- Prevention of thrombosis for acute coronary syndrome
- Adverse Effects
- Thrombocytopenia
- Bleeding
- Drug Names