Aim: To evaluate primary angioplasty results for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock on admission.
Population and methods: Retrospective analysis of 11 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (defined as systolic blood pressure below 80 mmHg and signs of hypoperfusion, despite volume expanders and/or vasopressors infusion) treated with primary angioplasty. Clinical characteristics, angiographic data, hospital outcome and follow-up were analysed.
Results: There were ten males (90.9%) with a mean age of 66 years. Eight patients had anterior wall myocardial infarction and three patients had inferior wall myocardial infarction, two of which with extension to the right ventricle. The mean time between symptom onset and angioplasty was 3.5 hours. Three patients had left main coronary artery occlusion; three patients had single vessel disease and five patients had multivessel disease. The angiographic success rate (open infarct-related artery and TIMI III flow) was 90.9% (ten patients). Stent implantation was performed in five patients. Abciximab was given in five patients. In-hospital mortality rate was 36.4% (four patients). The surviving patients had a mean ejection fraction of 43.1% on discharge. In a mean follow-up of 16.2 months, one patient had coronary artery bypass graft and one had stroke.
Conclusion: Based on published data, our experience with this short series of cases shows that primary angiography should be regarded as a positive option for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.