Abciximab

Indications

    • prevention of ischaemic cardiac complications in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

    • short-term prevention of myocardial infarction in patients with unstable angina not responding to conventional treatment and who are scheduled for percutaneous coronary intervention

Administration/Absorption

    • IV injection/infusion

Dosage

    • initially by intravenous injection over 1 minute, 250 micrograms/kg, then by intravenous infusion, 125 nanograms/kg/minute (max. 10 micrograms/minute)

Distribution

Mechanism

Excretion

    • plasma half life of about ten minutes, with a second phase half life of about 30 minutes

    • but due to its strong affinity for its receptor on the platelets, it may occupy some receptors for weeks

Side effects

    • bleeding manifestations; nausea, vomiting, hypotension, bradycardia, chest pain, back pain, headache, fever, puncture site pain, thrombocytopenia

    • rarely cardiac tamponade, adult respiratory distress, hypersensitivity reactions

Interactions

Contraindications