16 Nov Non-Infarct Related Coronary Artery Disease Common in Acute Myocardial Infarction

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Manesh Patel, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director Interventional Cardiology and Catheterization Labs
Duke University Health System
Duke Clinical Research Institute

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Dr. Patel: In clinical practice, patients with acute myocardial infarction are found to have non-IRA disease of varying significant and location.  The current recommendations are to have patients recover from the acute myocardial infarction and get non-invasive testing to determine revascualrization after 4-6 six weeks in uncomplicated patients.  These data demonstrate that non-IRA disease is common (>50% of STEMI patients) and that these patients have an elevated 30-day mortality.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Patel: The data in this area are evolving but generally speaking for patients with multi vessel disease post STEMI reperfussion, there should be careful follow up and consideration for more immediate revascularization strategies.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Patel: We need large RCTs in patients with STEMI and Non-IRA disease with conservative medical therapy versus revascularization during the index hospitalization.

JAMA

Extent, Location, and Clinical Significance of Non–Infarct-Related Coronary Artery Disease Among Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

In addition to Patel, study authors include Duk-Woo Park; Robert M. Clare; Phillip J. Schulte; Karen S. Pieper; Linda K. Shaw; Robert M. Califf; E. Magnus Ohman; Frans Van de Werf; Sameer Hirji; Robert A. Harrington; Paul W. Armstrong; Christopher B. Granger; and Myung-Ho Jeong.

Last Updated on November 16, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD