A guide to drug use during percutaneous coronary intervention.

The past decade has seen major advances in adjunctive pharmacotherapy for percutaneous coronary intervention. Pharmacological therapeutic advances have resulted from a greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying platelet activation and aggregation, thrombin generation and thrombus formation. Specifically, refinements in the use of unfractionated heparin, developments in the use of low molecular weight heparins and direct antithrombin agents as well as improvement in both oral and parenteral adjunctive antiplatelet therapies have occurred and are reviewed herein.