Objectives: This study examined the efficacy and safety of the direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes undergoing cardiac catheterization.
Background: Argatroban is a direct-thrombin inhibitor approved for use in percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Few studies have examined its use in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for acute coronary syndromes. We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes who received argatroban anticoagulation during cardiac catheterization.
Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes who received argatroban while undergoing cardiac catheterization from 2002 to 2005 were included. Patient characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were examined retrospectively via detailed chart review. The primary endpoints of the study were combined death, myocardial infarction or urgent revascularization, and major bleeding during the index hospitalization.
Results: A total of 144 patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome received argatroban during cardiac catheterization within the study period: 25% presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and 75% presented with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. The combined endpoint of death, myocardial infarction or urgent revascularization occurred in 13.2% of patients during the hospitalization. Major bleeding occurred in 2.1% of patients.
Conclusions: In this cohort of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, patients receiving argatroban during cardiac catheterization had a moderate rate of adverse cardiac events and a very low rate of major bleeding.
(c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.