Bivalirudin Plus Stenting in Long Lesion to Avoid Periprocedural Myocardial Necrosis Trial

Background: Randomized trials show improved outcomes among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with Bivalirudin1. Optimal antithrombotic treatment in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is crucial to balance the risk of post-PCI bleeding versus ischemic complications2. Bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor has been extensively investigated as an intra-procedural antithrombotic therapy in patients with stable angina, Non ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Bivalirudin, when used with or without glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) during PCI has been found to be superior to Unfractionated heparin (UFH) with or without GPI in reducing 30-day bleeding complications without significant increase in the rate of ischemic events3-5. Moreover,after otherwise successful PCI,an increase in cardiac biomarkers has been shown to occur in 5% to 30% of patients6. Recent studies have focused their attention onthe reduction of infarct size and the incidence of periprocedural (type IVa) myocardial infarction (PMI)after elective PCI7-8. Therefore, we will perform a single-center, prospective and randomized study to assess if Bivalirudin versus UFHis effective in preventing elevation of biomarkers of MI after coronary stent implantation in patients already treated with aspirin and clopidogrel,with anatomically complex lesion. Objective: to assess the safety and efficacy of routine usage of the Bivalirudin vs UFH in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), after stent implantation in coronary long lesions, to avoid periprocedural myocardial necrosis. Setting: Single-center, spontaneous, prospective, randomized 1:1 study of Bivalirudin infusion vs UFH in the setting of CAD, after PCI with stenting incoronary long lesions. Comparison: Bivalirudin vs UFH, in preventing elevation of biomarkers of MI after coronary stent implantation in patients already treated with