Angioplasty for Acute Coronary Syndromes

• Published in: Annual review of medicine Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 465 - 479
• Main Authors: Tenaglia, Alan N, Stack, Richard S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA 94303-0139 Annual Reviews 01-01-1993; 4139 El Camino Way, P.O. Box 10139; USA
• Subjects: Angina, Unstable - drug therapy; Angina, Unstable - therapy; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary heart disease; Heart; Humans; Medical sciences; myocardial infarction; Myocardial Infarction - drug therapy; Myocardial Infarction - therapy; percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; Thrombolytic Therapy; Time Factors; unstable angina; Human; Treatment; Infarct; Coronary artery; Myocardium; Instrumentation therapy; Cardiovascular disease; Instrumental dilatation; Coronary heart disease; Variant angina
• ISSN: 0066-4219; 1545-326X
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.me.44.020193.002341

The acute ischemic syndromes (unstable angina and acute myocardial
infarction) are often treated with percutaneous transluminal coronary
angioplasty. Angioplasty should be considered in patients with unstable
angina refractory to medical therapy and in those with evidence for
ischemia after medical stabilization. Direct or primary angioplasty is indicated
in patients with acute myocardial infarction with contraindications
to thrombolytic therapy and is a reasonable alternative even in those
eligible for thrombotytics. While there is no role for immediate angioplasty
of a patent infarct-related artery following thrombolysis, rescue angioplasty
of persistently occluded arteries may be beneficial, although further
studies are needed.