Use of antiplatelet therapies during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction

Inhibition of platelet function is necessary to achieve successful and long-lasting primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction. For many years, antiplatelet therapy in the setting of primary PCI consisted of two drugs that inhibit platelet activation (aspirin and clopidogrel) and an intravenous blocker of platelet aggregation (abciximab). The development of new, more potent oral antiplatelet drugs (prasugrel and ticagrelor) as well as new data on clopidogrel dosing regimens limited the use of abciximab after pretreatment with aspirin and clopidogrel. Thus, intracoronary administration of abciximab and the use of small molecule glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockers (tirofiban or eptifibatide) challenge the contemporary schemes of antiplatelet treatment in primary PCI. We review recently published data with particular attention on patients and drug characteristics and propose an update of existing recommendations.