Angiographic and Clinical Outcome in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Receiving an Adjunctive Double Bolus Regimen of Tirofiban for Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND: Because of different dosages, the efficacy of adjunctive tirofiban therapy for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is currently unclear. The hypothesis that a double bolus regimen of tirofiban will improve angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing PCI was tested in the present study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Primary PCI was performed in 217 STEMI patients: 80 received standard PCI (control group) and 137 received tirofiban (tirofiban group). Tirofiban was given as a bolus (10 mg/kg) in the emergency room and again upon arrival at the cardiac catheterization laboratory, followed by infusion of 0.15 mg . kg(-1) . min (-1) until the total dose reached 12.5 mg. The primary endpoint was emergency target vessel revascularization, recurrent myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular mortality at 30 days and 1 year. Baseline clinical and angiographic variables of the 2 groups were similar, as were angiographic results after PCI and bleeding complications at 30 days. The primary 30-day and 1-year endpoints were 5.1% and 11.7% in the tirofiban group, respectively, vs 10.0% (p = 0.171) and 18.8% (p = 0.151) in the control group. CONCLUSION: Although angiographic and clinical benefits were not demonstrated, the results suggest that research into an effective and uniform dosing regimen of adjunctive tirofiban therapy for PCI is warranted.