In Platelet Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Cardiovascular Disease, the major investigators working in this rapidly advancing field join together under the aegis of A. Michael Lincoff and Eric J. Topol to provide the first comprehensive overview of the preclinical and clinical development of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists. These acknowledged experts elucidate the theoretical basis for the inhibition of platelet aggregation in the treatment of coronary syndromes, present and synthesize evidence for the efficacy of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockade in inhibiting ischemic complications of both coronary intervention and acute coronary syndromes, and provide guidelines for the use of this novel class of agents in the clinical management of cardiovascular disease. They also compare the pharmacology and clinical efficacy of the currently available glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors and speculate about further potential applications of these agents in the treatment of vascular disease. Written by the scientists and physicians who discovered and characterized this important new class of receptors, invented the first IIb/IIIa agents, and conducted the definitive clinical trials, Platelet Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Cardiovascular Disease offers the most complete and authoritative review of these powerful new therapeutics available today.
