Eptifibatide

• Eptifibatide is used to prevent heart attack in adults with:
• unstable angina (a type of heart-related chest pain that usually occurs while resting).
• individuals who have had a non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (a type of heart attack), with chest pain in the last 24 hours and with abnormalities on the electrocardiogram (ECG) or signs of heart problems in the blood.

When should one not use Eptifibatide

• If you are allergic to eptifibatide or any of the other ingredients of Eptifibatide.
• If you have been or are scheduled for treatment with another medicine of the same type as Eptifibatide. If you are not sure what these medicines are, please confirm with your doctor.
• If you recently had abnormal bleeding from your stomach, intestines, bladder or other organs.
• If you have a history of stroke in the past 30 days or any haemorrhagic stroke.
• If you had a brain tumour or any condition that affects the blood vessels around the brain.
• If you had a major operation or severe injury/trauma in the past 6 weeks.
• If you have a history of bleeding problems.
• If you have or had a low blood platelet count.
• If you have or had severe high blood pressure.
• If you have or had severe kidney or liver problems.

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Bleeding
• Low blood pressure
• Inflammation of a vein
• Decreased number of red blood cells (anaemia)

Other General Warnings

• You are elderly or have low body weight.
• You have kidney disorders.
• You are taking other medicines for treating other health conditions like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (for treating pain, inflammation and swelling), dipyridamole, prostacyclin, dabigatran, clopidogrel, ticlopidine (for preventing blood clots), reteplase (to break up or dissolve blood clots), sulfinpyrazone (for treating gouty arthritis), medicines for treating irregular heartbeats.

How Does It Work?

Interactions with other medicines

• Some medicines can affect the way Eptifibatide works or this medicine itself can reduce the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time.
• Tell your doctor about all medicines, supplements or herbals you are currently taking or might take to avoid any possible interaction.
• Particular care should be taken if you are taking medicines like oral anticoagulants (used to thin the blood) or medicines that prevent blood clots, like warfarin, dipyridamole, ticlopidine and aspirin.

Overdose

Missed a Dose