Heparin, bivalirudin, or the best of both for STEMI interventions

Whether heparin, bivalirudin, or bivalirudin delivered on the background of prior heparin therapy, during primary PCI therapy is associated with a better outcome is difficult to ascertain from any one study. Meta-analysis of available trials suggests that the use of bivalirudin on top of prior heparin therapy may be associated with the lowest all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events while preserving much of the access site bleeding reduction of bivalirudin alone. There may be a role for initial therapy of STEMI with a broad-spectrum anticoagulant such as heparin that is then focused to a more specific direct-thrombin inhibitor (bivalirudin) in primary PCI.