The efficacy of the GPIIb/IIIa antagonist abciximab in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients has been established through randomized clinical trials. However, the cost-effectiveness of abciximab in these patients has not been adequately addressed. OBJECTIVE: The study purpose was to estimate the cost per life year saved of abciximab in PCI patients. METHODS: The relative risk of mortality with abciximab was estimated based on a meta-analysis of six clinical trials with 6537 patients. One year mortality and expected years of survival in PCI patients were based on published data. The incremental cost of abciximab was estimated based on bills for the initial hospitalization collected in the EPILOG trial. Since the costs and outcomes were negatively correlated, the box method was used to estimate confidence interval around the cost-effectiveness estimate. RESULTS: The meta-analysis showed that abciximab significantly reduced risk of mortality in PCI patients, with a hazard ratio of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.85, P=0.002). One-year mortality in control patients was estimated to be 3.1%, and the expected survival in patients alive one year after intervention was at least 14 (11.3 discounted) years. The incremental cost of abciximab was $583 ($61, $1,116) and years of life saved were 0.125 (0.05, 0.18) leading to a cost per life year saved of $4,664 ($339, $22,320). Cost per life year saved assuming no cost offset with abciximab was $11,675. CONCLUSIONS: The cost-effectiveness ratio for abciximab treatment in PCI patients falls within commonly accepted thresholds; hence abciximab reduces mortality in PCI patients at a favorable incremental cost.