Question

Pharmacology: Case Study- Blood Clot 3. What accounts for the efficacy of eptifibatide (a platelet GPlb-Illa antagonist) in inhibiting platelet aggregation? 4. When the expanding hematoma was observed, could any measure other than stopping the eptifibatide have been used to reverse the effect of this agent? If low-molecular-weight heparin had been used instead of unfractionated heparin, how would the monitoring of the patient's coagulation status during the procedure have been affected? 5.

Answer 1

3. The factors which account for the efficacy of eptifibatide in inhibiting platelet aggregation are-i) it inhibits endothelial cell production of prostacyclin,ii) it is an antagonist of GPIIIb-IIIa receptor,which prevents fibrinogen binding to platelets,iii) it is a monoclonal antibody directed against platelet-derived thromboxane,iv) it inhibits adenylyl cyclase and thus reduces cAMP production,v) it catalyzes fibrinogen degradation.