Treatment and secondary prevention of ischemic coronary events in Croatia (TASPIC-CRO study).

Aims: The objective of this study is to determine the status of major risk factors for coronary heart disease in patients with established coronary heart disease in Croatia and whether the Joint European Societies' recommendations on coronary heart disease prevention are being followed in Croatia and whether secondary prevention practices have improved between 1998 and 2003.

Methods: Five surveys were undertaken in 35 centres covering the geographical area of the whole of Croatia between 1 June, 1998 and 31 March, 2003. Consecutive patients of both sexes were identified after coronary-bypass grafting or a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or a hospital admission with acute myocardial infarction or ischaemia.

[Thrombolysis or percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarct].

Reperfusion therapy in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction includes thrombolytic therapy and primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (pPTCA) or primary coronary intervention (pPCI). Many clinical trials have been done to compare the efficacy of treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction with thrombolytic therapy vs. primary coronary angioplasty.

[Cardiogenic shock in acute coronary syndrome--therapeutic approach].

Aim: Cardiogenic shock is the most serious complication of acute coronary syndromes and cause of death in 4.2-7.2% of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in 2.