[Use of coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction without previous use of thrombolytic agents. Analysis of 201 patients]

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the experience with the use of primary PTCA in the set of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without the previous administration of thrombolytic agents.

Patients and methods: Two hundred and one patients with AMI, aged 35 to 86 years (mean = 57.2). There were 83.5% men. Twenty patients were older than 70 years and 48.2% had an anterior AMI. PTCA was performed early in the AMI, with a delay no longer than 12 hours. In 95%, it was done solely to the infarct related artery. Seventy percent patients were in Killip class I, 21% in class II, and 8% in classes III and IV (more than 50% of this subset of patients were in cardiogenic shock).

Results: Primary success was achieved in 84.5%. In hospital mortality was 5.9%, and there were 7% reinfarctions. Among the 84 patients who underwent a late cinecoronariography study, there were 19% restenosis and 8.3% reocclusions. In the long term follow up 75% were asymptomatic. Repeat PTCA was required in 10.2% of the cases, late coronary surgery was performed on 10.8% of the patients, and post-hospital cardiac mortality was 8.8% during an average follow up of 28 months (range 2-72 months).

Conclusion: Primary PTCA is a effective way of reperfusion in the AMI, with a high primary success, low complications rate and without any major contraindications.