Association of Total Ischemic Times and In-Hospital Outcomes of Acute STEMI Patients who Underwent Primary Angioplasty at a Tertiary Cardiac Care Facility

Aims: To determine the association between total ischemic time and in-hospital outcome of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who underwent primary angioplasty. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place & Duration of Study: Department of Cardiology, Dow university of health sciences Karachi between October 2017 till March 2021. Methodology: Data for total ischemic time analysis were collected from 366 STEMI patients who consecutively underwent primary angioplasty. Total ischemic time was measured from the onset of chest pain to o the first balloon inflation during primary angioplasty and in hospital outcome was measured. Results: Total ischemic times were available in 366 STEMI patients which was ≥ 30 minutes and < 24 hours: ≤ 2 hours in 15.5%, >2-3 hours in 11.4%, >3-5 hours in 25.4%, and >5 hours in 47.5% of STEMI patients. In addition, STEMI patients with total ischemic times <5 hours demonstrated complete ST-segment resolution and reduced death rate than those with total ischemic times >5 hours. Conclusion: This study showed that shorter ischemic times are significantly related to improved myocardial reperfusion and decreased mortality.

Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction. Current Status and Unresolved Targets for Subsequent Research

Mechanical reperfusion with primary angioplasty, as the treatment of choice in acute myocardial infarction (MI), is associated not only with a high percentage of full epicardial and tissue reperfusion but also with a very good immediate and long-term clinical outcome. However, the Achilles heel of MI treatment is its ensemble of complications, such as cardiogenic shock due to severe systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction or MI mechanical complications, including perforation of the left ventricular free wall, papillary muscle rupture with acute mitral regurgitation and ventricular septal rupture. They are associated with an increased or, sometimes, with an extremely high mortality rate, determining the overall mortality in an MI patient population. In this review we summarize the mechanisms of MI complications, current therapeutic management and alternative directions for overcoming their devastating consequences. Moreover, we have sought to indicate gaps in the evidence on current treatments as the potential targets for further clinical research. From the perspective of mortality trends that are not improving, the forthcoming therapeutic management of complicated MI will require an individualized and novel approach based on their thorough pathobiology.