PTCA FOR ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN PATIENTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR IV THROMBOLYSIS - IN-HOSPITAL RESULTS

A total of 38 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (M I) ineligible to i,v. thrombolysis underwent immediate, selective coro nary angiography, Thereafter, percutaneous transluminal coronary angio plasty (PTCA) of the occluded artery was attempted if the infarct-rela ted vessel showed TIMI 0, I, or II-flow. All patients were ineligible to i.v. thrombolysis because of advanced age (80 years) or increased r isk of bleeding complications. TIMI-flow III was restored in 35/38 pat ients (92%) with a residual stenosis of < 50% in 34 patients, Hospital survival was 84%, LV ejection fraction was 49 +/- 17% after 2 weeks, Therefore, immediate PTCA in patients with acute MI and contraindicati ons to i.v. thrombolysis appears to yield encouraging preliminary resu lts in a group of high risk patients.