Success and complication rates of coronary angioplasty in patients with and without previous myocardial infarction

The primary success rate and incidence of major complications have been retrospectively assessed in a consecutive series of 224 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in one centre. The patients have been divided into three groups; those with angina and no previous myocardial infarction (Group 1; N = 130), those with angina and a previous transmural myocardial infarction (TMI) (Group 2; N = 59), and those with angina and a previous non-transmural myocardial infarction (NTMI) (Group 3; N = 26). The three groups were well matched for age, gender and angiographic severity of stenosis. The primary success rate in Group 1 was 90% compared to 64% in Group 2. The success rate in Group 3 lay in between at 77%. The lower success rates in Groups 2 and 3 were mainly due to an increase in the frequency of major complications. Acute coronary occlusion occurred in seven patients in Group 1, nine patients in Group 2 and four patients in Group 3. In all these patients in Groups 2 and 3 the outcome of acute occlusion was a procedure-related clinical myocardial infarction despite immediate re-angioplasty and/or emergency coronary artery bypass grafting whereas only four patients in Group 1 sustained an acute infarct. In this series of patients undergoing coronary angioplasty for symptom limiting angina, previous myocardial infarction appears to be a risk factor for a lower success rate mainly due to an increase in the frequency and severity of major complications.