Abciximab is a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist that has proven to be of significant clinical value in improving patient outcome after percutaneous coronary revascularisation. Primarily, the drug inhibits platelet aggregation, but it may also have anticoagulant activity and other beneficial effects, such as inhibiting migration and promoting apoptosis of smooth muscle cells. Large well designed studies have found administration of abciximab (as an adjunct to heparin and aspirin) during percutaneous coronary revascularisation to significantly reduce the incidence of ischaemic complications occurring in the 30 days after the procedure. Significant benefit, particularly on the incidence of myocardial infarction, was still evident after 6 months in 2 of 4 major trials. Abciximab provides particular benefit in patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction who are undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularisation. The benefits of the drug are additive to those achieved with coronary stenting. Very preliminary data suggest that abciximab may improve coronary blood flow after myocardial infarction and allow reperfusion to be achieved with reduced thrombolytic doses. Caution is required to minimise the risk of bleeding complications with the use of abciximab in combination with heparin and aspirin. Careful patient selection, use of an appropriate heparin regimen, early vascular sheath removal and meticulous femoral artery access site care are recommended. Thrombocytopenia can occur with abciximab treatment, but severe cases are uncommon (< 2% of patients) and can be treated with platelet transfusions. The high acquisition cost of abciximab may be partly or fully offset by the costs averted by the reduced incidence of ischaemic complications and need for urgent and/or repeat revascularisation in high risk patients who receive the drug. However, if bleeding complications occur, this adds to treatment costs. Cost effectiveness analyses generally support the use of abciximab in high risk patients.
Conclusions: Abciximab can be recommended for the prevention of acute ischaemic events in most patients undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularisation, but careful patient selection and strict adherence to the recommended treatment protocol are required to reduce the risk of bleeding complications and thrombocytopenia. Its use in high risk patients is largely supported by pharmacoeconomic data. Further pharmacoeconomic information is needed to establish the drug as a standard of care for all patient groups. The indications for abciximab are likely to expand as more data on its use in acute coronary syndromes become available.