Introducing glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy to air medical practice

In patients with myocardial infarction, platelet aggregation inhibition with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists helps restore and maintain coronary blood flow when administered alone, with fibrinolytics, or with angioplasty. This article evaluates whether an adequate number of patients transported by an air medical program could benefit from flight team administration of these agents and describes the implementation issues surrounding a treatment protocol.

A retrospective chart review and a discussion of the program's implementation experience

Seven percent of the patients transported by the air medical program met clinical and electrocardiographic criteria for administration of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. The program identified systemic, budgetary, and logistical issues with protocol implementation that require ongoing consideration.