Tirofiban Hydrochloride, Injection ty-roh-FY-ban hy-droh-KLOR-ide

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antiplatelet

Generic and brand names: tirofiban hydrochloride, injection; Aggrastat

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) to treat certain types of angina (chest pain). It may be given to you if you are having a medical procedure such as angiography and angioplasty. It prevents the platelets in the blood from clumping together to form blood clots.

This medicine is usually used along with shots of heparin. It may also be used with aspirin taken by mouth.

What should my healthcare provider know before I receive this medicine?

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• bleeding problems
• thrombocytopenia (low platelet count in your blood)
• bleeding in the brain, a brain tumor, or brain aneurysm
• a stroke
• kidney disease
• major surgery or a severe injury within the past month
• heart problems
• high blood pressure

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

IV infusions are given by your healthcare provider.

This medicine is usually given while you are in the hospital with complete bed rest and your head elevated.

What should I watch out for?

The most common and serious side effect of this medicine is bleeding. Most bleeding occurs at the site where the IV needle is inserted.

You will be closely watched to detect any bleeding. You will have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away): Unusual bleeding or bruising; hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; worsening chest pain; sudden, severe pain in your head, neck, shoulders, legs, or back; vision changes; severe nausea or vomiting; unexplained fever; slow heart rate; blood in the urine or bowel movements.

Other: Nausea, fever, headache, pelvic pain, dizziness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• aspirin and other salicylates
• deferasirox (Exjade)
• drotrecogin alfa (Xigris)
• medicine that reduces the chance of blood clots forming such as abciximab (ReoPro), anagrelide (Agrylin), cilostazol (Pletal), clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), dipyridamole (Persantine, Aggrenox), enoxaparin (Lovenox), fondaparinux (Arixtra), heparin, prasugrel (Effient), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), ticagrelor (Brilinta), and warfarin (Coumadin)
• medicines to dissolve blood clots such as alteplase (Activase), reteplase (Retavase), and tenecteplase (TNKase)
• medicines to treat cancer such as dasatinib (Sprycel), ibritumomab (Zevalin), and tositumomab (Bexxar)
• natural remedies such as alfalfa, agrimony, anise, arnica, bilberry, black cohosh, bladderwrack, cat’s claw, dong quai, evening primrose oil, fenugreek, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, goldenseal, grape seed, green tea, horse chestnut, licorice, nettle, passion flower, pau d'arco, red clover, St. John's wort, sweet clover, and willow
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), ibuprofen (Motrin, Motrin IB, Advil), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac (Toradol), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Aleve, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril)
• pentoxifylline (Trental)
• vitamin E

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicines in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.