[Treatment of cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarct by the methods of counterpulsation].

The results of treatment of myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock by-means of arterial counterpulsation and that with an intra-arterial ballon are presented. In order to determine the indications for counterpulsation the authors introduce a classification of cardiogenic shock that takes into account the reactivity of the patient and the speed of decompensation of the systemic circulation. Both methods of counterpulsation permitted to reverse the cardiogenic shock in 81.8% of the cases. In 18.2% the shock appeared to be areactive in nature, 15.9% of the patients died due to a recurrence of the cardiogenic shock after it had been reversed by means of assisted circulation. Other complications of myocardial infarction caused the death of 43.3% of the rest. Hospital mortality comprised 77.4%. The main factors that determine the stable positive countershock effect of counterpulsation in myocardial infarction cases complicated by cardiogenic shock include early introduction of counterpulsation into the set of therapeutic and resuscitation measures, high capacity of assisted circulation devices (up to 31/min.), long duration of continuous counterpulsation (not less than 12 hours).