Long term effects of epoetin alfa in patients with ST- elevation myocardial infarction.

Purpose: The HEBE III trial showed that epoetin alfa administration in patients with a first ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) did not improve left ventricular function at 6 weeks after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The long term effects of erythropoiesis- stimulating agents on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are unknown, therefore we evaluated clinical events at 1 year after PCI.

Methods: A total of 529 patients with a first STEMI and successful primary PCI were randomized to standard optimal medical treatment (N = 266) or an additional bolus of 60,000 IU epoetin alfa administered intravenously (N = 263) within 3 h after PCI.

A single dose of erythropoietin in ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Aims: Cardioprotective effects of erythropoietin (EPO) have been shown in experimental and smaller clinical studies. We performed a prospective, multicentre, randomized trial to assess the effects of a single high dose of EPO after primary coronary intervention (PCI) for an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods and results Patients with a successful PCI for a first STEMI were randomized to receive either standard medical care alone, or in combination with a single bolus with 60,000 IU i.

Arterial end-to-side grafting in coronary artery bypass grafting: the Tector procedure.

Background. The current treatment of choice in patients with three-vessel coronary disease is coronary artery bypass grafting. The use of the left internal mammary artery in bypass grafting has shown superior long-term outcomes compared with venous grafting.

Infarct size in primary angioplasty without on-site cardiac surgical backup versus transferal to a tertiary center: a single photon emission computed tomography study.

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed in large community hospitals without cardiac surgery back-up facilities (off-site) reduces door-to-balloon time compared with emergency transferal to tertiary interventional centers (on-site). The present study was performed to explore whether off-site PCI for acute myocardial infarction results in reduced infarct size.

Methods And Results: One hundred twenty-eight patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to undergo primary PCI at the off-site center (n = 68) or to transferal to an on-site center (n = 60).

Clinical performance indicators for percutaneous coronary intervention.

Quality indicators in cardiology can be used to guide performance at a patient level, or at an organizational level. To positively influence adherence to performance guidelines, policymakers have to ensure that employees are involved in the development of guidelines and indicators. The first phase for selecting performance measures is creating a set of performance indicators.