Immediate Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Infarction

During the past 10 to 15 years, pathological and arteriographic studies have shown that Q-wave myocardial infarction is usually caused by an occlusive coronary arterial thrombus. Investigations have also shown that thrombolytic therapy can restore antegrade flow in the occluded artery, reduce the size of the infarct, and improve survival. Initially, thrombolytic agents were infused directly into the occluded coronary artery during cardiac catheterization, but later studies showed that intravenous administration offered similar efficacy without the delay, the need for angiographic equipment and skilled personnel, or the morbidity and mortality associated with emergency catheterization. Thus, effective therapy for evolving myocardial . . .