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Abciximab is a type of "blood thinner" used to prevent blood clots during certain procedures used to open up the blood vessels in the heart (e.g., balloon angioplasty, coronary stent placement, percutaneous coronary intervention-PCI). It is usually used with heparin and aspirin. Abciximab works by preventing platelets in the blood from sticking to each other. When platelets stick to each other, they may form blood clots that may cause a heart attack or cause the opened blood vessel in the heart to close back up.

Not applicable.

This medication is given by injection into a vein by a health care professional, usually 10 to 60 minutes before your procedure, then given slowly into a vein for up to 12 hours or as directed by your doctor. In some cases, this medication may be started up to 24 hours before your procedure and continued until 1 hour after the procedure is finished. The dosage is based on your weight, medical condition, and response to treatment.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. This drug should not be used with the following medication because a very serious interaction may occur: dextran. If you are currently using the medication listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting abciximab. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: other "blood thinners" (e.g., warfarin) used in the last 7 days, NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen), anti-platelet drugs (e.g., dipyridamole, ticlopidine), tipranavir. Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully since many contain pain relievers/fever reducers (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin) that are similar to this drug. Abciximab is often used with other "blood thinners" such as aspirin, clopidogrel, and heparin. Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist regarding which medicines you need to take after leaving the hospital. Low-dose aspirin should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams a day). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., bleeding times, platelet count) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

Before using abciximab, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to mouse proteins; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: current bleeding, bleeding from the gut or bladder in the last 6 weeks (e.g., bleeding peptic ulcer), stroke in the last 2 years, history of stroke with continuing problems (e.g., slurred speech, weak muscles, vision problems), major surgery/injury/other bleeding in the last 6 weeks, brain tumor, blood vessel problem in the brain (e.g., aneurysm, AV malformation), very high uncontrolled blood pressure, inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis). Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: use of this drug in the last 30 days, stomach/intestinal problems (e.g., peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease), low blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), liver disease. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Not applicable. This medication is given in a hospital and will not be stored at home.

Nausea, vomiting, or minor bleeding/irritation at the injection site may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Serious bleeding is the most common serious side effect. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these signs of serious bleeding occur: bleeding/bruising/swelling/oozing around the area where the procedure tube was placed, uncontrolled nosebleed, fast/irregular heartbeat, pale/gray/bluish skin, pink/red urine, bloody/black/tarry stool, coughing up blood, vomit that looks like coffee grounds. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these signs of very serious bleeding occur: chest pain, vision problems, confusion, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body. This medication may cause a serious decrease in blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). Tell your doctor immediately if you develop easy bleeding/bruising. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.