Effectiveness and safety of reduced-dose enoxaparin in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome followed by antiplatelet therapy alone for percutaneous coronary intervention

Am J Cardiol. 2007 Nov 1;100(9):1376-82. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.06.024. Epub 2007 Aug 16.

Abstract

Adjunctive pharmacotherapy for stabilizing patients with acute coronary syndrome/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (ACS/NSTEMI) and for subsequent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) includes a combination of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents. However, all anticoagulants have been shown to paradoxically activate platelets and induce other prothrombotic activities, increase bleeding, and/or cause thrombocytopenia. A single-center experience of 1,400 consecutive patients presenting with ACS/NSTEMI managed using decreased-dose anticoagulation (enoxaparin) and dual-antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) followed by triple-antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel, and eptifibatide) alone, without additional anticoagulation, during subsequent PCI was retrospectively analyzed. Patients received a median of 3 doses of enoxaparin at a mean dose of 0.51 mg/kg. The final dose was administered 10.8 hours (mean) before PCI. Medical management "failed" in 8 patients (0.6%), and each required emergency PCI. The overall technical success rate was 99.8%. One major adverse clinical event (0.1%) occurred within 24 hours after PCI. Non-Q-wave myocardial infarction occurred in 1.8% of patients, major and minor bleeding complications, in 0.1% and 2.1%, respectively, and thrombocytopenia in 1.3%. Five additional major adverse clinical events (0.4%) occurred within 30 days after PCI, none involving target vessel thrombosis. In conclusion, for patients with ACS/NSTEMI, reduced-dose enoxaparin combined with dual-antiplatelet therapy followed by triple-antiplatelet therapy alone (without additional anticoagulation) during subsequent PCI appears safe and may prove efficacious.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Coronary Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / administration & dosage*
  • Aspirin / administration & dosage
  • Atherectomy, Coronary
  • Clopidogrel
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Enoxaparin / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stents
  • Ticlopidine / administration & dosage
  • Ticlopidine / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Enoxaparin
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Clopidogrel
  • Ticlopidine
  • Aspirin