Frequency of recurrent ST-elevation myocardial infarction after fibrinolytic therapy in a different territory as a manifestation of multiple unstable coronary arterial plaques.

Multiple unstable plaques have been demonstrated by various imaging techniques in culprit and nonculprit arteries in patients with acute coronary syndromes, but the frequency with which clinical manifestations of multiple unstable plaques occur is unclear. To estimate this frequency in patients who present within 6 hours with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, we studied electrocardiograms and cardiac marker levels of 722 patients with suspected reinfarction in the HERO-2 trial of 17,073 patients; this trial compared intravenous bivalirudin with unfractionated heparin before administration of streptokinase. Twenty-six patients (3.