Intraaortic balloon pumping in the treatment of cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

A 5.1% incidence of cardiogenic shock was found in consecutive series of 680 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during a five-year period. The hospital mortality was 94%. Shock was treated according to a stepwise policy including assisted circulation with intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP). During the five-year period, only five patients, 14% of the shock patients, had shock for more than three hours (the minimal time for attempting medical therapy and preparing for assisted circulation), were below 75 years of age and without terminal diseases. Together with ten AMI patients in shock referred from or treated in other hospitals, altogether 15 patients were given IABP during 1--318 hours (mean 58). Shock was reversed in 12 (80%) of these patients and five (33%) could be weaned off IABP and discharged from the CCU. However, only two patients (13%) were long-term survivors.