To assess the initial and long-term results of 149 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures performed within 1 month of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 83 of them because of recurrent ischemia (post-infarction angina) after thrombolytic therapy with initial reperfusion success in the AMI (100 lesions attempted) (group I) and 66 PTCAs (69 lesions) performed during the acute phase of the AMI (group II). Mean age was 56 +/- 14 and 127 (85%) patients were male. Although successful dilation was obtained in 151 (89%) of the 169 attempted lesions, (96[96%] in group I vs 55[78%] in group II), clinical success was obtained in only 123 (82%) (76[92%] vs 64[77%] in both groups, respectively). Late occlusion occurred in 14 (9%) of the 151 lesions successfully dilated (6[6%] and 8[15%], respectively) and reinfarction was documented in 7 (5%) patients (5[5%] and 2[3%]). One patient in group I underwent coronary bypass surgery. There were 4 (3%) hospital deaths (1[1%] and 3[4%]) in group I and II, respectively). Event-free (no occurrence of death, AMI, coronary surgery, repeat PTCA or angina recurrence) survival rate was 76%, 73% and 67% in group I versus 62%, 57% and 40% in group II, at 1, 2 and 4 years respectively. During follow-up, 1 (1%) patient of the group I and 4 of the group II died. At last follow-up, 63 (78%) of the 81 patients alive vs 33 (67%) of the 59 patients in the group I and II respectively remained asymptomatic. In conclusion, in our experience elective PTCA performed in the subacute phase after an AMI provides better initial and long-term outcome than that performed in the acute phase. Therefore, the procedure would be delayed whenever possible.