The use of stents in percutaneous coronary interventions, associated with aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors has reduced the incidence of unfavorable outcomes in acute coronary syndromes. However, this association may hinder the management of patients who develop thrombocytopenia, a rare but clinically important complication of the use of abciximab and heparin. We describe a case of a patient with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who developed thrombocytopenia after the initial treatment. We evaluated literature data on the difference of thrombocytopenia secondary to the use of abciximab and heparin, the pathophysiology of this complication and the management of this paradoxical condition where antiplatelet therapy is imperative due to the use of stent, but where there may be significant bleeding or stent thrombosis due to drug discontinuation.
Acute coronary syndrome; Antibodies, monoclonal; Thrombocytopenia
