Reopro

Reopro is a monoclonal antibody whose aim is to decrease the chances of a heart attack during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

PCI is required in patients with blockage of arteries which supply heart (coronary arteries) to open these up.

During this procedure, there is a chance that the broken clot may lodge again or new clots can form as a result of instrumentation. It is also of help when such a procedure is used in patients with unstable angina.

Abciximab is used along with heparin and aspirin to prevent any clot in the vessels. It is a prescription drug and is only available in solution form.

Your doctor will inform you of what you need to know before using Reopro. Before starting a new therapy, it is important for patient and doctor to hold a detailed session to check all the prerequisites. 

It is necessary for the patient to tell the doctor any doubts or queries so that this drug can be used with much more understanding.  The doctor should also inform all the effects, interactions and prepare a dosage plan for the patient.

A detailed history of a patient is extremely important prior to any medical therapy and in this case, it is preferred that a drug is started after it.

Allergies or any history of allergy to any drug, food, preservatives, dyes or animal products, history of drug usage, past medical or surgical procedure should also be kept in the record to predict any drug interaction.

Physical examination should be done before starting this drug so that any physiological or pathological condition by which this drug may interfere may be ruled out.

Age-specific assessment is necessary to maintain a safety profile. There are not enough studies in children to prove that there are any specific pediatric side effects associated with this drug.

Elderly patients, on the other hand, have known to report bleeding problems by its use owing to increased sensitivity to abciximab with old age.

There is also not enough evidence which proves that there are specific side effects of this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.

Drug interactions may occur as a result of the use of certain medications together. It is important to have a thorough knowledge beforehand to predict such effects and to prevent them. The use of abciximab with eptifibatide is contraindicated as it will lead to severe reactions.

It is also recommended to avoid the use of NSAIDs, antiplatelet agents, Vitamin A and newer anticlotting agents as these cause many drug interactions. Certain foods, tobacco, and alcohol may also lead to interactions and patient should ask the doctor about this.

Other medical conditions, like liver disease, old age, underweight, stroke, aneurysm, brain problem, blood disease or any recent injury, should be told to the doctor as this drug may worsen these conditions.

Proper usage of Reopro requires strict adherence to your doctor’s orders. It is available for intravenous use only. It is injected into the vein by a trained health care professional.

Good hygiene and proper technique may eliminate the chances of any local effect on the site of injections. There are different doses for each age and gender which should be measured by the doctor to ensure effective therapy.

In using Reopro, you must be careful and take some precautions as advised by your doctor. Reopro is a crucial drug to avoid heart attack during PCI.

To increase its effectiveness, some precautions must be taken which include:

• Make sure to tell your doctor or dentist about the use of this drug.
• Check for any bleeding or oozing from the site of injection or any other body site.
• Stool and urine should be observed to see any blood in these.
• Consult the doctor if any serious problem is suspected.
• Storage of drug should in a dry environment with room temperature. Keep it away from the reach of children.

There are potential side effects linked with the use of Reopro, and the patient must be aware of these prior to therapy.

Common side effects include bleeding, blurred vision, confusion, dizziness, faintness, increased sweating and weakness.

Blood in stool or urine, bleeding gums, pinpoint red spots on the skin, bruising, chest pain, chills, cough, eye pain, fever,  headache, pale skin, rapid weight gain, slow heartbeat, sneezing, a sore throat, swelling of different parts of the body and tingling sensation may rarely occur.

It is important to keep in mind that these effects vary in severity from person to person and in the same person from time to time. Always consult your doctor regarding these effects to have better control.