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Platelet-mediated thrombosis has been implicated in the development of ischaemic complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. We investigated whether inhibition of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa integrin with eptifibatide (Integrilin) could prevent such complications.

We undertook a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at 82 centres in the USA, enrolling 4010 patients undergoing elective, urgent, or emergency coronary intervention. Patients were assigned one of three treatments: placebo (n=1328), a bolus of 135 μg/kg eptifibatide followed by an infusion of 0·5 μg kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ for 20–24 h (n=1349), or 135 μg/kg eptifibatide bolus with a 0·75 μg kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ infusion (n=1333). The coronary procedure was started within 10–60 min of the start of study treatment. The primary endpoint was the 30-day composite occurrence of death, myocardial infarction, unplanned surgical or …