Objective: To perform a comparative analysis of in-hospital results obtained from patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), who underwent rescue or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim is to determine rescue PCI as a practical option for patients with no immediate access to primary PCI.
Methods: From the Cardiology PCI Clinic of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), we selected all consecutive patients presenting with acute STEMI =24h door-to-balloon delay for primary PCI and =72h door-to-balloon delay, (90min after failed thrombolysis) for rescue PCI, from March 2013 to April 2015 and their in-hospital results were analyzed, comparing rescue and primary PCI patients.