Acute profound thrombocytopenia associated with eptifibatide therapy

Pharmacotherapy. 2003 Mar;23(3):374-9. doi: 10.1592/phco.23.3.374.32107.

Abstract

An 80-year-old woman and a 79-year-old man underwent urgent percutaneous coronary intervention and received adjunctive eptifibatide. Platelet counts in both patients fell to below 20 x 10(3)/mm3 within 4 hours of eptifibatide administration. Reports in the medical literature reinforce the importance of recognizing that eptifibatide can cause acute profound thrombocytopenia. All three available glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors--abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban--have been associated with the development of this disorder. Thus, clinicians should routinely monitor platelet counts in patients receiving glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors within 2-4 hours of the start of the infusion.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Eptifibatide
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptides / adverse effects*
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Platelet Transfusion
  • Thrombocytopenia / chemically induced*
  • Thrombocytopenia / therapy

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Eptifibatide