Use GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists in acute coronary syndromes

Abstract

T he multinational PURSUIT * trial was the largest study of glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists ever conducted. As part of the PURSUIT trial, economic substudies were performed in Europe and the US to estimate the cost effectiveness of eptifibatide [‘Integrilin’] for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes. At the 20th Congress of the European Society of Cardiology [ Vienna, Austria; August 1998 ], Dr Robert Henderson from the UK and Dr Daniel Mark from the US commented on the favourable results of these substudies. Another economic analysis, presented by Dr Mark de Belder from the UK, showed that the GP IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist abciximab is also cost effective in the treatment of coronary syndromes, providing benefits at a cost that is comparable to other commonly accepted interventions.