Long-term results of emergency coronary angioplasty

Background and objective: Coronary angioplasty (CAG) has become an acceptab le method of treating an acute coronary syndrome (myocardial infarction [MI ] or unstable angina [UA]). It was the aim of this study to determine wheth er the results of such emergency treatment differed from those after electi ve GAG. Patients and methods: Results of emergency CAG in 581 patients (aged 60 +/- 11 years; 77% males) admitted to the authors' hospital between July 1994 a nd December 1996 were compared with those of elective CAG in 2460 patients (aged 61 +/- 10, admitted during the same period. Follow-up information was obtained after 22.4 +/- 11 months in 93.2% of the patients by examination, written answers to annual questionnaires, data being collected on survival , repeat cardia catheterizations, other interventions, aorto-coronary bypas s, occurrence of myocardial infarction, the patients' general state and dru gs received. Results: 19 of 517 patients (3.7%) of the group who had undergone elective CAG had died during the follow-up period, compared with 107 of 2436 of the emergency cohort (4.4%; not significant). There were also no significant di fferences regarding repeat cardiac catheterization, interventions, coronary bypass or re-admission. The proportion of subsequent emergency CAG among a ll CAGs was 16.8% in the emergency cohort, 8.8% after elective angiography (p < 0,001). Conclusion: Coronary angiography performed in patients with an acute corona ry syndrome has no prognostic significance regarding mortality and morbidit y after the acute phase of the disease.