Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
In-Lab Upfront Use of Tirofiban May Reduce the Occurrence of No-Reflow During Primary Percutaneous Coronary
Igor Matos Lago1, Gustavo Caires Novaes1, André Vannucchi Badran1
1Divisão de Cardiologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP - Brazil.
Insights
In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), upfront tirofiban showed a trend toward reducing no-reflow (NR). This pilot study suggests tirofiban may help prevent NR in STEMI patients treated with PPCI.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Myocardial reperfusion is not always achieved after successful culprit coronary artery opening during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).
- Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are used to treat no-reflow (NR), but their preventive role is not established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of in-laboratory tirofiban administration on the incidence of NR.
- To assess NR in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with PPCI.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind study randomized STEMI patients undergoing PPCI to receive either tirofiban (24 patients) or placebo (34 patients).
- Angiographic and electrocardiographic methods were used to assess NR.
- End-points included TIMI epicardial flow grade, myocardial blush grade (MBG), and ST-elevation resolution (<70% at 90 min and 24h).
Main Results:
- No significant difference in TIMI flow <3 between tirofiban (25%) and placebo (35.3%) groups.
- MBG ≤2 occurred in 11.7% of placebo patients, none in the tirofiban group (p=0.13).
- Severe NR (ST-elevation ≤30%) was significantly lower in the tirofiban group at 90 min (0% vs 26.5%, p=0.01) and showed a trend at 24h (4.2% vs 23.5%, p=0.06).
Conclusions:
- This pilot study indicates a trend towards NR reduction with upfront in-laboratory tirofiban in STEMI patients treated with PPCI.
- The findings support further large-scale studies to confirm the efficacy of tirofiban in preventing NR.
Background::
Despite successful opening of culprit coronary artery, myocardial reperfusion does not always follows primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors are used in the treatment of no-reflow (NR), but their role to prevent it is unproven.
Objective::
To evaluate the effect of in-lab administration of tirofiban on the incidence of NR in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with PPCI.
Methods::
STEMI patients treated with PPCI were randomized (24 tirofiban and 34 placebo) in this double-blinded study to assess the impact of intravenous tirofiban on the incidence of NR after PPCI according to angiographic and electrocardiographic methods. End-points of the study were: TIMI-epicardial flow grade; myocardial blush grade (MBG); resolution of ST-elevation < 70% (RST < 70%) at 90min and 24h after PPCI.
Results::
Baseline anthropometric, clinical and angiographic characteristics were balanced between the groups. The occurrence of TIMI flow < 3 was not significantly different between the tirofiban (25%) and placebo (35.3%) groups. MBG ≤ 2 did not occur in the tirofiban group, and was seen in 11.7% of patients in the placebo group (p=0.13). RST < 70% occurred in 41.6% x 55.8% (p=0.42) at 90min and in 29% x 55.9% (p=0.06) at 24h in tirofiban and placebo groups, respectively. Severe NR (RST ≤ 30%) was detected in 0% x 26.5% (p=0.01) at 90 min, and in 4.2% x 23.5% (p=0.06) at 24h in tirofiban and placebo groups, respectively.
Conclusion::
This pilot study showed a trend toward reduction of NR associated with in-lab upfront use of tirofiban in STEMI patients treated with PPCI and paves the way for a full-scale study testing this hypothesis.
Fundamento::
Mesmo com abertura da artéria coronária culpada bem sucedida, a reperfusão miocárdica nem sempre sucede a intervenção coronariana percutânea primária (ICPP). Inibidores da glicoproteína IIb/IIIa são usados no tratamento do fenômeno de não reperfusão (NR), mas seu papel para preveni-lo não está comprovado.
Objetivo::
Avaliar o efeito da administração, em laboratório, de tirofibana sobre a incidência de NR em infarto agudo do miocárdio com supra do segmento ST (IAMCSST) tratado com ICPP.
MéTodos::
Pacientes com IAMCSST tratados com ICPP foram randomizados (24 tirofibana e 34 placebo) neste estudo duplo-cego para avaliar o impacto de tirofibana intravenosa sobre a incidência de NR após ICPP de acordo com métodos angiográficos e eletrocardiográfico. Os desfechos do estudo foram: fluxo epicárdico TIMI (grau), grau de fluxo miocárdico (MBG), resolução da elevação do segmento ST < 70% (RST < 70%) aos 90 minutos e 24 horas após ICPP.
Resultados::
Características antropométricas, clínicas e angiográficas basais eram equilibradas entre os grupos. A ocorrência de fluxo TIMI < 3 não foi significativamente diferente entre os grupos tirofibana (25%) e placebo (35,3%). MBG ≤ 2 não ocorreu no grupo tirofibana, e foi detectado em 11,7% dos pacientes do grupo placebo (p=0,13). RST < 70% ocorreu em 41,6% x 55,8% (p=0.42) aos 90 minutos, e em 29% x 55,9% (p=0,06) em 24 horas nos grupos tirofibana e placebo, respectivamente. NR grave (RST ≤ 30%) ocorreu em 0% x 26,5% (p=0,01) aos 90 minutos, e em 4,2% x 23,5% (p=0,06) em 24 horas nos grupos tirofibana e placebo, respectivamente.
ConclusãO::
Este estudo piloto mostrou uma tendência de redução de NR associada ao uso, em laboratório, de tirofibana em pacientes com IAMCSST tratados com ICPP, e abre caminho para um estudo em escala real que teste essa hipótese.
Related Concept Videos
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...

