Is Eptifibatide safe?
Bleeding and platelet drop documented in label
Bleeding is the main risk. It is most likely where the artery was punctured for catheterization. The label contraindicates the drug in patients with recent major bleeding, severe hypertension, recent stroke or a bleeding disorder. A small percentage of patients develop thrombocytopenia, a sharp fall in platelet count. So doctors monitor platelets. Patients with kidney impairment need a lower dose. The kidneys clear the drug. 3
Bleeding, particularly at catheter sites, and a small risk of a sudden drop in platelet count. The effect reverses within hours of stopping the infusion. 3
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Citations
- Scarborough 1991, Journal of Biological Chemistry: barbourin, a GPIIb-IIIa-specific integrin antagonist from pygmy rattlesnake venom pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PURSUIT Trial Investigators 1998, NEJM: inhibition of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa with eptifibatide in acute coronary syndromes doi.org
- Merck: Integrilin (eptifibatide) prescribing information merck.com
Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Eptifibatide article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.