A Risk-Benefit Assessment of Abciximab in Angioplasty

Advances in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have allowed procedures to be performed on a variety of patients with a spectrum of challenging coronary anatomy. Abciximab has permitted further expansion and has made the procedure safer. Abciximab is a chimerised murine monoclonal antibody directed against the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb–IIIa receptor. Binding to this receptor inhibits platelet aggregation to a wide variety of biological agonists. It also binds to αvβ3 and leucocyte MAC-1 receptors; the biological significance of its affinity to these receptors is unclear. Abciximab has an extremely short plasma half-life. Since abciximab binds to the platelet GP IIb–IIIa receptor with great avidity it has an extremely long biological half-life.