A double bolus of eptifibatide appears to be as effective as abciximab for patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarctions undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, according to a late-breaking clinical trial presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

The EVA-AMI study (Eptifibatide Versus Abciximab in Primary PCI for Acute ST elevation Myocardial Infarction) compared the effectiveness of a double bolus of eptifibatide versus abciximab in achieving complete electrocardiographic ST resolution 60 minutes after percutaneous coronary intervention. (Complete ST resolution means a greater than 70 percent resolution of the ST segment elevation seen on the initial electrocardiogram.)

Eptifibatide and abciximab are both glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.

“Complete ST resolution is a sign that blood is getting through to the heart muscle. It is closely related to 30-day and long-term mortality,” said Uwe Zeymer, lead author of the study, which was conducted out of Ludwigshafen, Germany. “Our results show there were no differences between the effectiveness of the two drugs.”

EVA-AMI was an international, multicenter, randomized, prospective, open parallel group comparison of the two drugs in patients undergoing primary intervention less than 12 hours after acute myocardial infarction. The study included 430 patients in France and Germany between November 2006 and May 2007.

The patients were also taking clopidogrel and aspirin, plus heparin or enoxaparin.