Safety and efficacy of Tirofiban in STEMI-patients

Background Tirofiban is recommended as bail out therapy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, evidence regarding safety and efficacy of tirofiban is unclear. Tirofiban has been shown to improve ST-resolution, to decrease infarct size (IS) and to reduce incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). However, bleeding is enhanced in tirofiban treated patients. In this study, we aim to investigate efficacy and safety of Tirofiban in STEMI-patients. Methods 610 STEMI patients were analyzed. MACCE (death, myocardial infarction [MI], stroke) and TIMI bleeding events were registered during hospital course and 12 month follow-up. Results Tirofiban patients were slightly younger (tirofiban 63 ± 13 years vs. control 65 ± 14 years; p = 0.04). They had higher peak-high-sensitive troponin T [Hs-TnT] (tirofiban 6561 ± 11,065 vs. control 4594 ± 11,200, p-value = 0.047) and peak-creatine kinase [CK] (tirofiban 2742 ± 5097 vs. control 1416 ± 2160, p-value < 0.0001). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was more complex in tirofiban treated patients as radiation time (tirofiban 18 ± 15 vs. control 14 ± 13; p-value = 0.02) and use of contrast agent (tirofiban 240 ± 106 vs. control 209 ± 99; p-value = 0.01) was higher in tirofiban patients. However, there were no differences in MACCE (HR 0.877, 95% CI 0.62–1.25, p = 0.47) and bleeding (major: HR 1.494, 95% CI 0.65–3.44, p = 0.34; minor: HR 1.294, 95% CI 0.67–2.52, p = 0.45). Conclusion MACCE and bleeding events were similar. However, PCI was more complex and infarcts larger in tirofiban treated patients.