The platelet IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab as adjunctive therapy in carotid stenting of potential thrombotic lesions

We evalluated the use of abciximab (ReoPro), a monoclonal glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitor, in 45 patients and 49 carotid vessels undergoing stent placement for neurologically symptomatic, critical lesions of the common and/or internal carotid arteries. Our. assessments included procedural success and clinical outcomes including stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), neurological death, and bleeding. There were no instances of minor or major stroke, Q-wave or non-Q-wave MI thrombocytopenia, or neurological death bl the periprocedural in-hospital period immediately poststenting to discharge, nor any neurological events related to the ipsilateral hemisphere or neurological death during follow-up of up to I year, 6 months, and 30 days (30, 10, and 5 patients, respectively). The hemoglobin/hematocrit levels dropped in two patients, necessitating blood transfusions. Two patients died with multiple organ failure, and three more developed a non-Q-wave infarction at 4 months, 2 months, and 3 weeks poststenting, respectively.