Impact of health care system delay in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction on return to labor market and work retirement.

System delay (delay from emergency medical service call to reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention [PPCI]) is acknowledged as a performance measure in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as shorter system delay is associated with lower mortality. It is unknown whether system delay also impacts ability to stay in the labor market. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate whether system delay is associated with duration of absence from work or time to retirement from work among patients with STEMI treated with PPCI.

Stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and death after drug-eluting and bare-metal stent coronary interventions.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine outcomes subsequent to implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare-metal stents (BMS).

Background: Use of DES might be associated with increased risk of stent thrombosis (ST), myocardial infarction (MI), and death.

Methods: From January 2002 through June 2005, data from all percutaneous coronary interventions in western Denmark were prospectively recorded in the Western Denmark Heart Registry; 12,395 consecutive patients (17,152 lesions) treated with stent implantation were followed for 15 months.

Routine thrombectomy in percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Distal embolization during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction may result in reduced myocardial perfusion, infarct extension, and impaired prognosis.

Methods And Results: In a prospective randomized trial, we studied the effect of routine thrombectomy in 215 patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction lasting <12 hours undergoing primary PCI. Patients were randomized to thrombectomy pretreatment or standard PCI.