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[Intravenous thrombolysis in myocardial infarction. Influence of the quality of the anticoagulation on the early recurrence rate of angina or infarction].

In this retrospective study the data of 70 patients treated with streptokinase in the acute phase of myocardial infarction were reviewed in search of a possible relation between recurrent ischaemic events and degree of anticoagulation. All patients had received a 30 mn infusion of streptokinase 1.500.000 units within a mean 175 mn period from the initial symptoms. They were followed up clinically (signs of angina or infarction), angiographically (coronary arteriography within 5.5 days on average) and biochemically (daily measurements of TCA values and blood fibrinogen concentrations). Fifteen recurrent ischaemic events (21.4 p. 100), including 6 attacks of angina and 9 myocardial infarctions, were observed. Angiography showed that the artery responsible for the initial infarction was occluded in 23.6 p. 100 (13/55) of patients without recurrent ischaemic accident. This figure rose to 46.6 p. 100 in patients who suffered a new anginal attack (7/15; NS) and up to 77 p. 100 in those who developed a new myocardial infarction (7/9; p less than 0.01). Biochemical data showed that 13 recurrent ischaemic accidents occurred when the APTT values were lower than 1.5 (176 measurements), as against 2 when these values were higher than 1.5 (359 measurements) (p less than 0.01). These two recurrent ischaemic accidents took place when fibrinogen concentrations abruptly rose above 1 g/litre. These results demonstrate that poor quality anticoagulation is responsible for the occurrence of recurrent ischaemic events within days of thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction. They prompt the authors to recommend anticoagulation with heparin started at an early stage and carefully adjusted by means of repeated biochemical essays.

Adult↗

Limitation of infarct size for 24 hours by combined treatment with allopurinol plus verapamil during acute myocardial infarction in the dog.

This study examined whether combination therapy with allopurinol plus verapamil would enhance limitation of myocardial infarct size compared with either allopurinol or verapamil alone in closed-chest dogs subjected to 24 hr of permanent coronary occlusion. Four groups were studied: control, dogs receiving allopurinol (400 mg po 24 and 2 hr before coronary occlusion and 10 mg/kg iv 6 hr after occlusion), dogs receiving verapamil (200 micrograms/kg iv bolus, then continuous administration of 5 micrograms/kg/min), and dogs receiving allopurinol plus verapamil as indicated above. The anatomic risk zone and regional myocardial blood flow were measured with radioactive microspheres administered intraventricularly 1 min after coronary occlusion. Necrotic tissue was visualized by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining and the risk zone by autoradiography of the microspheres. Infarct size, expressed as a percentage of the risk zone, was 75.9 +/- 13.7% (mean +/- SD) in the control group, 44.1 +/- 13.3% in the allopurinol group (p less than .05 vs control), 40.6 +/- 11.1% in the verapamil group (p less than .05 vs control), and 37.9 +/- 13.6% in the allopurinol plus verapamil group (p less than .05 vs control; p = NS vs drug-treated groups). In controls, there was a close correlation (r = -.83) between infarct size and subepicardial collateral blood flow. As a result the expected infarct size in the treatment group that would have occurred without drug-treatment could be reliably predicted based on the correlation between infarct size and subepicardial collateral blood flow. The ratio of the actual and predicted infarct size provides a "salvage index".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Allopurinol↗

Metoprolol in acute myocardial infarction. Development of myocardial infarction. The MIAMI Trial Research Group.

The effect of metoprolol on the development of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during days 0 to 3 and on late first and recurrent infarctions during days 4 to 15 has been investigated. Signs on electrocardiogram (ECG) were well balanced between the treatment groups at entry; 70% of patients had signs of suspected AMI and 19% of patients had normal ECGs. The remaining patients had abnormal ECGs but actual infarction could not be localized. The localization of suspected AMI was equivalently distributed in the 2 groups before randomization. Metoprolol altered the distribution of patients diagnosed during days 0 to 3 as having definite, possible or no AMI (p less than 0.02). In the placebo group, there were more patients with definite AMI (72.5% vs 70.5%) and less with possible AMI (5.6% vs 7.4) than in the metoprolol group. A larger proportion of patients developed a Q-wave infarction during days 0 to 3 in the placebo group (53.9%) compared with the metoprolol group (50.9%, p = 0.024). No difference in the effect of metoprolol regarding localization of the early AMI was observed. Late first myocardial infarction development (days 4 to 15) was observed in 20 patients (0.7%) in each group. Recurrent myocardial infarction tended to develop more frequently during days 4 to 15 in the placebo group compared with the metoprolol group (3.9% vs 3.0%, p = 0.08).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

[Stress factors in myocardial infarct patients before the appearance of myocardial infarct].

Apart from somatic risk factors and the smoking of cigarettes more attention in the development of the myocardial infarction must be ascribed to the psychosocial and psychoemotional stress and its false processing. For the judgment of the stress in patients with myocardial infarction a questionnaire was constructed. It contains those questions the answer of which showed significant differences in comparison to the persons with healthy coronary vessels. The inquiries were answered by altogether 110 patients with myocardial infarction. In order to obtain references to definite characteristics concerning the structure of the personality of our patients with myocardial infarction, we used the INR-questionnaire after Böttcher. In either sex moments of "self-stressing" dominate. Professional conflicts were mentioned more by men, familial problems more by women. Among others, definite characteristics concerning the structure of the personality (rigidity) of patients with myocardial infarction seem to be a reason for the deficient strain under stress or they increase the sensitiveness to stress. From the results of the examinations requirements to the psychic rehabilitation of patients with infarction are derived, which must be carried out parallel to the somatic rehabilitation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

[Enzymatic and scintigraphic determined infarct size: significance for left ventricular function following infarct].

In a prospective study, the relationship between extent and location of myocardial infarction and the resulting left ventricular dysfunction was assessed and the question asked, how well these parameters may be assessed non-invasively a few weeks after the acute event. One hundred and fifty survivors of a first myocardial infarction were studied in the acute stage by serial ECG and CPK recordings and 5 weeks later by thallium201-(Tl)-scintigraphy and radionuclide angiocardiography. Myocardial damage was assessed enzymatically (maximal CPK; CPKmax) in the acute phase and scintigraphically in the subacute phase using a Tl-score considering extent (in percent of total myocardium in each projection) and severity (decrease in thallium-uptake) of scintigraphic infarct defects. There were significant correlations between Tl-score and max. CPK (r = .69) as well as between Tl-score and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (r = .65; p less than .001 each), but this correlation was better for subgroups with anterior vs. inferior infarctions (r = -.68 vs. r = -.59; p less than or equal to .001 for each). Furthermore, LVEF could be predicted based on the Tl-score: 88% of patients with values less than 7 had an LVEF of greater than 45%, whereas 77% of patients with a thallium-score of more than 12 had an LVEF less than 45%. Reproducibility of the Tl-score assessed in 30 patients over 3 months was excellent (r = .96) with low variability between the two analyses (+/- 1.5). Thus, after a first myocardial infarction, a direct relationship between enzymatically and scintigraphically, assessed infarct size and LVEF could be demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Acute myocardial infarct: the importance of the coronary circulation type in the atherosclerotic lesion of the coronary arteries, the development of thromboses, the localization of the acute infarcts and their evolution].

Analysis was made to 270 deceased with acute myocardial infarction. The signs discussed were: type of coronary circulation, sex and age, nosological belonging, atherosclerosis affection and allocation of thrombosis in coronary arteries. The acute infarction lesions were characterized according to site, layers involved, left ventricular mass engaged mural thrombosis and acute aneurysms ruptures. Consideration was given to myocardiosclerosis, postinfarction cicatrices and chronic aneurysms, hypertrophic rate, duration of recent infarction, thromboembolic complications and death causes. Essential discrepancies were found for the separate coronary types as regards stenosis distribution, predominating affection of separate coronary vessels, site of coronary thrombosis, infarction, resp., infarction extent (layer and mass), rupture incidence, acute aneurysms and postinfarction cicatrices. The study revealed that left coronary type was the most unfavourable terrain for acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

Clinical estimation of infarct size by 201thallium perfusion scintigraphy and by creatine kinase-MB in early myocardial infarction.

201Thallium (201Tl) perfusion scintigraphy was performed in 22 patients with first acute transmural myocardial infarction within the initial 12 h after onset of symptoms. The size of the abnormally perfused area on 201Tl images was estimated by visual analysis and by a computer-assisted technique. 201Tl values for infarct size were compared to a biochemical estimate of infarct size using the cardiac specific esoenzyme creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and total creatine kinase (CK). Estimates of myocardial damage obtained from the visual and computer-assisted analysis of the 201Tl images showed a statistically significant correlation with the enzymatic estimates of infarct size. These results suggest that quantitative evaluation of 201Tl image defects may provide useful information regarding the degree of myocardial damage in the very early stages of acute infarction before biochemical estimates of infarct size are available, and that sequential imaging with 201Tl might provide an independent method of monitoring evolutionary changes in myocardial damage.

Adult↗

[Selenium level in patients with acute myocardial infarct and in patients with severe angina pectoris without myocardial infarct].

Selenium in serum and whole blood was determined in patients (n = 88) with acute cardiac infarction, in patients (n = 62) with severe clinical symptoms and signs of angina pectoris excluding cardiac infarction, and a control group (n = 62). The average selenium concentration of the 62 patients in the control group was 1.00 +/- 0.17 mumol/l in the blood. The serum selenium concentration of the patients with cardiac infarction was significantly decreased as compared with the control group both on the first and tenth day (alpha = 1%) as well as after three months (alpha = 5%). On the twentieth day as well as six and twelve months after cardiac infarction no significant difference could be established. At all times after cardiac infarction, the blood showed a clearly decreased selenium concentration as compared with the control group. The difference was highly significant (alpha = 0.1%) on the first, tenth and twentieth day as well as after three and six months, and it was significant (alpha = 1%) after twelve months. On the first day, the average selenium concentration in the serum of the 62 patients with a severe attack of angina pectoris excluding acute cardiac infarction was 0.88 +/- 0.18 mumol/l and thus highly significantly below the values for the control group (alpha = 0.1%). The decrease on the tenth day (0.93 +/- 0.19 mumol/l) turned out not to be significant. The blood selenium concentration was highly significantly decreased on the first and tenth day (alpha = 0.1%). It was measured to be 1.12 +/- 0.19 mumol/l and 1.10 +/- 0.20 mumol/l respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angina Pectoris↗

Graded exercise testing following thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: the importance of timing and infarct location. TPAT Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of timing, infarct location and thrombolytic therapy on the electrocardiographic (ECG) response to exercise testing following acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Maximal treadmill exercise testing was performed on postinfarction day 8 and repeated on day 90 as part of a previously reported double-blind, placebo controlled study of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute myocardial infarction in which left ventricular function was the primary end-point. Patients were systematically evaluated for left ventricular function, myocardial perfusion and coronary anatomy. SETTING: Ten collaborating community and academic hospitals. PATIENTS: One hundred and fifteen patients, aged 20 to 75 years, with ischemic chest pain 30 mins or longer and ST elevation on ECG. Patients with cardiogenic shock, left bundle branch block, prior aortocoronary bypass surgery, recent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or standard contraindications to thrombolytic therapy were excluded. MAIN RESULTS: The analysis is confined to the 70 patients who underwent both exercise tests without intercurrent coronary revascularization. Peak rate-pressure product was greater on day 90 than on day 8 (mean difference +/- SE 2.2 +/- 0.6 x 10(3), P = 0.001), whereas 65% of patients had 1 mm or greater of exercise-induced ST shift on day 8 compared with 47% on day 90 (P = 0.025). Patients following anterior compared with inferior infarction were more likely to have exercise-induced ST elevation (54% versus 21%, P = 0.012) but less likely to have ST depression (29% versus 63%, P = 0.017) on day 8; results were directionally similar on day 90. Treatment with rt-PA, compared with placebo, did not influence exercise performance, the ECG response to exercise or the extent of inducible ischemia on thallium scintigraphy. CONCLUSIONS: Timing and infarct location are important modifiers of the ECG response to exercise testing following myocardial infarction. Thrombolytic therapy in these uncomplicated patients did not influence inducible ischemia.

Adult↗

[Early revascularization of the arteries not related to infarction improves regional and global function of the left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction].

PURPOSE: To evaluate if early interventions which increase flow in the non-infarct related arteries (NRA) could improve long-term ventricular function in the non-infarct (NI) area after an acute myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: We studied regional wall motion analyzed by the center-line method in two groups of patients with significant stenoses (> or = 70%) in the NRA after successful coronary reperfusion (chemical or mechanical thrombolysis). Group I (GI) consisted of 21 patients that were submitted to early (mean 14 days) complete surgical revascularization of both NRA and infarct related artery (IRA); the 12 group II (GII) patients underwent successful revascularization of the IRA only, with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (mean 6 days). Paired ventriculograms were obtained within 48 hours of the infarction and a mean of 17 months later. RESULTS: NI area contractility in GI patients improved from -0.35 +/- 2.16 to +0.62 +/- 1.6sd/chord (p < 0.05), whereas in GII decreased from +0.54 +/- 1.78 to -0.66 +/- 1.72 sd/chord (p < 0.05), p < 0.05 between the groups at follow-up. Mean infarct area wall motion did not differ between the two groups: from -3.04 +/- 2.43 to 2.61 +/- 2.49 sd/chord in GI (p = NS), and from -2.68 +/- 2.54 to -2.93 +/- 2.35 sd/chord in GII (p = NS). Mean global left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction did not change in GII patients (0.72 +/- 0.09 and 0.67 +/- 0.12, p = NS), but significantly increased from 0.63 +/- 0.12 to 0.72 +/- 0.11 in GI patients (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that early revascularization of NRA with significant stenoses can improve not only the NI area regional contractility, but also the global LV function in the long-term follow-up of post MI patients treated with thrombolytic therapy.

Female↗

[Influence of the permeability of the artery responsible for the infarction on the variability of heart rate and late potentials. Its importance in the risk stratification after myocardial infarction].

The use of the heart rate variability for the study of the Autonomic nervous system has been well established. We analyzed late potentials and heart rate variability in 29 control patients and in 102 consecutive patients with a first myocardial infarction. The data obtained were analyzed with both, the medical treatment (thrombolysis and beta-blockers) and the patency of the infarct related vessel. Patients with an infarct had diminished vagal tone as compared with the control group. Those patients with occluded related arteries showed higher incidence of late potentials; interestingly patients with late potentials also had diminished vagal tone. Without looking at the patency of the infarct related artery, thrombolitic and betablocker therapy did not have any effect on vagal tone. All the variables were correlated with the patency of the infarct related artery. Those patients with patent arteries had a preservation of the vagal tone; this was independent of the treatment received and the presence of late potentials. We concluded that the patency of the infarct related artery determines the absence of late potentials and preservation of the vagal tone. This might be one of the mechanisms of how thrombolitic therapy decreases the incidence of cardiac death.

Action Potentials↗

[Coronary atherosclerosis, coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction in autopsy cases. VII. Communication: Complications in myocardial infarctions (author's transl)].

2393 cases of myocardial infarctions autopsied during the period from 1.1. 1951 until 31. 12. 1969 in our Institute were scored for aneurysm and rupture of the cardiac wall as well as for partietal thrombosis and endocardial fibrosis, and analysed concerning frequency and distribution of sex. Aneurysm of the ventricle walls was present in 23.94 per cent of myocardial infarctions. Most of the aneurysms were found in the posterior wall of the left ventricle. Callous infarctions showed more aneurysms than fresh myocardial lesions. A rupture was present in 31.82 per cent of acute aneurysms and in 4.53 per cent of old aneurysms. Parietal thromboses we found in 13.92 per cent of all infarctions. In 14.21 per cent of all myocardial infarctions endocardial fibroses were present. Parietal thromboses and endocardial fibroses were significantly most frequent in infarctions of the right ventricle.

Acute Disease↗

Cardiac endothelin release and infarct size, myocardial blood flow, and ventricular function in canine infarction and reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: The potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET) may play an important pathophysiologic role in acute myocardial infarction, but its precise effects are incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interrelationships between cardiac ET-1 release and infarct size, myocardial blood flow, and ventricular function. METHODS: Fifteen closed chest dogs underwent 3 hours of coronary artery occlusion followed by 3 hours of reperfusion. Coronary sinus and aortic ET-1 levels during occlusion and after reperfusion were determined by radioimmunoassay. Left ventricular function and regional myocardial blood flow were measured by echocardiography and colored microspheres, respectively. Myocardial infarct size was determined by postmortem staining with blue dye and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride. RESULTS: Coronary occlusion and reperfusion produced significant elevations of coronary sinus ET-1 (p < 0.05) and cardiac ET-1 release (p < 0.05), and a trend toward an increase in aortic ET-1 (p = 0.08). A trend toward more ET-1 release was observed in dogs with larger infarcts (p = 0.06), and in dogs with substantial no-reflow in the reperfused territory (p = 0.05). Endothelin-1 release also was associated with increased contractility in nonischemic myocardial segments (p = 0.002), and ET-1 correlated with increased global left ventricular function (p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In this canine model of coronary occlusion and reperfusion, greater increases in cardiac ET-1 release were observed in dogs with larger infarcts, and increased ET-1 release was associated with the no-reflow phenomenon in the reperfused territory. These data suggest that ET-1 release may have adverse consequences in acute myocardial infarction, including a reduction of myocardial blood flow in the reperfused zone after reperfusion and increased contractility in nonischemic myocardium.

Animals↗

[Postoperative brain infarction in a patient with the previous asymptomatic brain infarction].

We report a case of a postoperative brain infarction, in which an asymptomatic preoperative brain infarction was also revealed postoperatively. A 63-year-old man with bladder carcinoma was scheduled for the cystoplasty. The patient had no prominent preoperative abnormality. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in N2O/oxygen combined with a spinal block and a continuous epidural block. Anesthesia lasted uneventfully for 16.5 hours. However, emergence from anesthesia was delayed. On the first postoperative day, motor aphasia and right hemiparalysis was confirmed. The computed tomography (CT) of the brain demonstrated a low density area in the frontoparietal region. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated the corresponding lesion as the CT had demonstrated, and an old brain infarction in the parietal region. This meant that the patient had a history of asymptomatic brain infarction (ABI). Patients with ABI are considered to be a high-risk group for a brain infarction. It is important to evaluate the risk factors of brain infarction preoperatively and to minimize those risks during the operation. Maintenance of the cerebral perfusion pressure is imperative.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗

Effect of the novel angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist L-158,809 on acute infarct expansion and acute anterior myocardial infarction in the dog.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-R) antagonist L-158,809 on acute infarct expansion and left ventricular (LV) function during acute anterior myocardial infarction. METHODS: Dogs were randomized to receive intravenous L-158,809 (0.1 mg/kg bolus and 0.6 microgram/kg/min infusion) or vehicle beginning 1 h after permanent left anterior descending coronary artery ligation and continued for 48 h. In vivo LV remodelling and function (quantitative echocardiography) and hemodynamics over 48 h, and postmortem remodelling after 48 h were measured. RESULTS: L-158,809 produced 90% to 100% inhibition of the angiotensin II pressor response during the infusions. With respect to percentage changes over the 48 h in vivo, compared with vehicle controls, L-158,809 decreased mean arterial pressure (-20 +/- 4 versus -9 +/- 2%, P = 0.03) and left atrial pressure (-38 +/- 5 versus 25 +/- 6%, P < 0.0001) but did not change heart rate. These unloading effects were associated with a smaller percentage increase in infarct expansion index (-5 +/- 7% versus 27 +/- 2%, P = 0.001) and LV diastolic volume (11 +/- 11% versus 52 +/- 6%, P = 0.008), less shape deformation, fewer apical aneurysms (0 versus 100%, P = 0.0003), better global ejection fraction (49 +/- 2% versus 39 +/- 2%, P = 0.005), less ST segment elevation and fewer Q waves. Also compared with vehicle controls, with L-158,809 postmortem infarct size (19.8 +/- 2.4% versus 50.4 +/- 4.7% of risk region, P = 0.0002) and expansion index (2.06 +/- 0.09 versus 2.76 +/- 0.18, P = 0.006) were less and thinning ratio greater (0.92 +/- 0.02 versus 0.60 +/- 0.05, P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The novel AT1-R antagonist L-158,809 produces significant AT1-R blockade, reduces LV loading, and effectively limits acute infarct expansion and early LV remodelling during canine myocardial infarction.

Analysis of Variance↗

Hyperlipoproteinemia (acc. to Fredrickson's classification) in patients with myocardial infarction and imminent infarction.

In 500 cases (379 men and 121 women) of ischemic heart disease, including 428 patients with myocardial infarction and 72 -- with imminent infarction, blood lipid levels were determined. Blood samples were taken on fasting, by the end of hospitalization, from patients with myocardial infarction on the 18th-21st day of disease, and from those with imminent infarction after cessation of pain. In 152 patients (30.4%), including 87 with infarction and 65 with imminent infarction, disturbances in the blood lipid pattern were found and classified according to Fredrickson. When expressed as percentage against the material of 152 patients with blood lipid disturbances, type II A was found in 103 cases (67.8%), type II B -- in 25 cases (16.4%), and type IV -- in 24 cases (15.8%). When calculated against the whole material of 500 patients, type II A accounted for 20.6%, type II B -- for 5%, and type IV -- 4.8% of cases.

Adult↗

[Heart failure after myocardial infarction: diagnosis, treatment, prevention. Echocardiography should be a routine procedure in myocardial infarction].

Post-infarction prognosis is considerably impaired if left ventricular systolic dysfunction and/or symptomatic heart failure develops. As the symptoms of left ventricular dysfunction are often subtle or completely lacking, such patients can be identified only by objective evaluation of left ventricular function. However, as symptoms of heart failure may develop despite normal left ventricular function, objective evaluation of left ventricular function is also important in symptomatic patients, since prognosis is especially poor in the presence of systolic dysfunction. As echocardiography is the most suitable and accessible method in the context, also allowing assessment of cardiac dimensions and valvular function, its extended use in post-infarction patients is imperative. Left ventricular dysfunction should be prevented by adequate measures to limit the extent of infarction and prevent its recurrence. To improve prognosis, the use of ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors should be considered whenever left ventricular dysfunction is present, irrespective of symptomatology. Treatment with amiodarone has recently been shown to reduce mortality among patients with post-infarction heart failure, and should also be considered in such cases, especially if there is a need of antiarrhythmic therapy. Although beta-receptor blockers have well-documented beneficial effects in myocardial infarction, their effect on patients with latent or overt heart failure has not been specifically studied. The use of angiotensin II antagonists in patients with post-infarction heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction is currently under investigation.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients with Prior Coronary Bypass Surgery: Results from the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 4 Trial.

Little data exist on the value of intravenous thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction in patients with previous coronary bypass surgery. The Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 4 trial was a randomized study comparing tissue plasminogen activator, anistreplase, or a combination in patients with evolving myocardial infarction; patients with previous coronary bypass surgery were not excluded. Coronary angiography was performed 90 minutes and 18-36 hours after randomization, a myocardial perfusion scan was performed at 18-36 hours and predischarge, and a radionuclide ventriculogram was obtained predischarge. Angiographic and clinical outcome variables were determined in patients with and without a history of coronary bypass surgery. A total of 416 patients were randomized and 13 of them had previous bypass surgery; of these, 6 had an occluded vein graft as the infarct-related vessel. The incidence of TIMI grade 3 flow at 90 minutes was lower in patients with previous coronary surgery as compared with controls (42% vs. 49%), and overall patency was significantly lower (50% vs. 77%, p = 0.04). This trend persisted at 18-36 hours after randomization. Furthermore, patients with previous coronary surgery had more thrombus in their infarct-related arteries, especially with occlusion of a vein graft (83% vs. 32%, p = 0.04) and higher rates of recurrent ischemia (15% vs. 8%) and recurrent infarction (23% vs. 5%, p = 0.03) than controls. Thus, in patients with previous coronary bypass surgery intravenous thrombolysis yields results that are inferior to those achieved in patients without such a history and alternative methods of reperfusion should be considered.

Journal Article↗