Optimal Timing for Use of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Acute Coronary Syndromes
Questions, Answers, and More Questions
- Kenneth W. Mahaffey, MD;
- Robert A. Harrington, MD
- Author Affiliations: Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke Translational Medicine Institute, Durham, NC.
- Corresponding Author: Kenneth W. Mahaffey, MD, Duke Clinical Research Institute, PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715 (mahaf002{at}mc.duke.edu).
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES
- DRUG ADMINISTRATION SCHEDULE
- GLYCOPROTEIN IIB-IIIA INHIBITORS
- TIME FACTORS
Contemporary management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has advanced in the past decade because of synergies between the tenets of basic science and findings from clinical trials.1 Clinicians, clinical investigators, and patients depend on definitive evidence to promote changes in clinical care. The current challenge is to create a clinical research system that responds to changes in the science with rapid and efficient planning of studies, acquisition of data, analysis, and dissemination of information. Such a system can provide the foundation for continued improvement in clinical care.2
Large outcome studies are needed to delineate the effects of novel therapies and treatments, as data from small trials or observational registries may be inadequate and even misleading. Human disease is complex and often incompletely understood; the interaction of pharmacologic therapies and management strategies can be unpredictable, and choices of therapies, drug dosages, and timing of interventions in the delivery of …
