Publication Date
2012
Journal
The Texas Heart Journal
PMID
22412237
Publication Date(s)
2012
Language
English
PMCID
PMC3298913
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
2012
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-Print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Disseminated intravascular coagulation/diagnosis/etiology/therapy, eptifibatide, percutaneous coronary angioplasty, platelet aggregation inhibitors/adverse effects, platelet glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa complex/antagonists & inhibitors, thrombocytopenia/chemically induced/prevention & control/therapy, thrombosis/chemically induced
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Early clinical trials of eptifibatide did not show a significant association between eptifibatide and the development of thrombocytopenia, thrombosis, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. However, more recent literature has suggested a significant association between eptifibatide and the development of thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. Although the true incidence and the pathophysiology of these associations are unknown, the development of these events can be life-threatening. Herein, we describe the case of a patient who experienced acute onset of profound thrombocytopenia, developing thrombosis, pulmonary emboli, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. This paper adds to the few previous reports of cases that suggested an association between thrombocytopenia, thrombosis, and the administration of eptifibatide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in the medical literature that associates the new onset of thrombocytopenia, thrombosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation with the administration of eptifibatide. We also provide a subject review.