Authors' objectives:

This review aims to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists in the medical management of unstable angina.

Authors' recommendations: While patients with acute coronary syndrome are very high risk in general, the generalisability of this review's findings is limited by the characteristics of the patients enrolled. For example, the mean ages of the patients enrolled in these trials (range, 59-67 years) were notably lower than the ages of patients generally seen in clinical practice. Furthermore, there may be subgroups of clinically homogeneous patients in whom these drugs are more or less effective. The results for the overall group may then underestimate or overestimate the effect for these subgroups. The trials also restricted the use of coronary interventions during the period of drug infusion, except for patients requiring emergency procedures. Because this restriction would not be in place in clinical practice, the results may not be generalisable.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1176

Year Published: 2000

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England, United Kingdom

Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme

Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK

Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk

Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk

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