We sought to investigate the effect of post-procedural abciximab on clinical outcome of patients presenting the no-reflow phenomenon after primary angioplasty. We retrospectively selected 38 patients who developed the no-reflow phenomenon after primary angioplasty: 18 received post-procedural abciximab, 20 age- and sex-matched patients who did not receive abciximab were considered as concurrent controls. At 6 months follow-up, the clinical course was uneventful in the abciximab group while the composite end-point of major adverse cardiac events occurred in 8 patients (40%) in the control group (P=0.009). 'Rescue' administration of abciximab is an effective option for the treatment of the no-reflow phenomenon determining significant prognostic improvements.