[Clinical use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockers in invasive cardiology].

Acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction) are still the main cause of mortality and morbidity not only in economically advanced countries. Although coronary angioplasty has become modern treatment of stable angina as well as of acute coronaries, acute occlusion of the vessel is still a serious problem. The prognosis of patients undergoing coronary angioplasty can be substantially improved by accurate evaluation of the risk of possible complications during or shortly after the procedure and by development of more effective anticoagulants. Research provided evidence that platelets play a decisive role in the formation of occlusive thrombi and that the thrombocyte glycoproteins IIb/IIIa are the basic mediator of platelet aggregation. Newly developed inhibitors of these receptors reduce acute ischaemic complications after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Conclusions of various trials support the inclusion of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in the standard therapeutic protocol of patients undergoing coronary angioplasty, in particular those with a high risk because of acute occlusion of the vessel after operation.