Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty improves survival in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

Modest survival benefits have been reported in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock who were treated with early surgical revascularization or thrombolytic therapy. To determine whether coronary angioplasty improves survival, 87 patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 1975 to 1985 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients in group 1 (n = 59) were treated with conventional therapy; patients in group 2 (n = 24) were treated with conventional therapy and angioplasty. Extent of coronary artery disease, infarct location, and incidence of multivessel disease were similar between groups. Hemodynamic variables including cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were also similar. The 30-day survival was significantly improved for group 2 patients (50% vs. 17%, p = 0.006). Survival in group 2 patients with successful angioplasty was 77% (10 of 13 patients) versus 18% (two of 11 patients) in patients with unsuccessful angioplasty, (p = 0.006). The findings suggest that angioplasty improves survival in cardiogenic shock compared with conventional therapy with survival contingent upon successful reperfusion of the infarct-related artery.