The study aimed to assess how well the heart's microvascular system was functioning after reopening blocked arteries in patients who had experienced a heart attack.
It found that 23% of patients had impaired myocardial perfusion, with several factors like absence of collateral blood flow and certain heart conditions linked to poorer outcomes.
The research concluded that many patients maintained good blood flow in the heart tissue despite the timing of treatment, highlighting the protective role of collateral circulation.