Aim: The aim of the study was to determine circumstances of referring patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) for urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Patients and methods: Different forms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and circumstances of referring STEMI patients to Karlovac PCI from October 2005 to February 2008 were analyzed.
Results: During the period of observation, 366 ACS patients were hospitalized. There were 37% of patients with unstable angina pectoris, 15% with myocardial infarction without ST-elevation (NSTEMI) and 48% with STEMI. Out of 176 STEMI patients, 52% had subacute infarction, 22% were referred for urgent PCI, 17% received fibrinolytic treatment, whereas in 9% of patients PCI and fibrinolysis were contradictory. Out of 30 patients with fibrinolysis, PCI was not carried out in 14 patients that arrived in hospital within 2-3 hours, 2 patients arrived after 6 hours, 3 patients were older than 75 and 11 patients refused invasive approach to treatment or it was personal estimate of the physician.
Conclusion: Accordingly, too many patients with subacute STEMI arrived in hospital. The success of PCI project would be even better if it was used in patients with unstable angina pectoris and NSTEMI.