Fibrinolysis or primary PCI in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Source: New England Journal of Medicine Area: News The findings of a study comparing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with an early fibrinolytic strategy in patients presenting with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been presented at the meeting of the American College of Cardiology and published early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.   The authors note that primary PCI is recommended as the preferred reperfusion strategy in patients with acute STEMI; however this is contingent upon its performance in a timely fashion, and most patients presenting to non-PCI facilities do not receive it within guideline-recommended times. Another challenge is the persisting delay from the time of symptom onset to hospital presentation, and many advances have thus been made in pre-hospital care (e.g. pre-hospital fibrinolysis).   The purpose of their study (Strategic Reperfusion Early after Myocardial Infarction [STREAM]) was to determine whether pre-hospital or early ...
Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Source Type: news