Tirofiban: A Rare Cause of Thrombocytopenia in a Patient Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Abstract

Patients admitted to the hospital can develop thrombocytopenia due to multifactorial causes. It can be pseudo-thrombocytopenia or true thrombocytopenia. Among patients admitted for chest pain, coronary angiography (CAG) is a common diagnostic test to evaluate patients for coronary artery disease (CAD). Normally, patients undergoing angiogram receive antiplatelets and anticoagulants pre-catheterization, and platelet aggregation inhibitor agents are sometimes used during and after CAG like in patients with high thrombus burden. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors are a type of platelet antiaggregant agents that can cause severe thrombocytopenia in few cases.  We present a case of a 68-year-old patient who came to the emergency department with inferior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and underwent angiography and had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) done. He was administered tirofiban during the angiogram that caused acute severe thrombocytopenia decreasing platelets count to 4000/microliter within one day. Patients' platelets gradually recovered after platelets transfusion.